Leave the Light On
by girlonfire7953
Summary: Love is like a flickering light. But what happens when love can't save you from your fate? 100th Hunger Games! Rated T because it's the Hunger Games and I am paranoid!
1. Chapter 1: Prologue

I always hated my name. For one reason or another, it just didn't sound very pretty to me. It sounded cold and heartless. Adrianna Jennings, what's pretty about that?

However, today is the Reaping and I am dreading it. Now I really hate my name.

Mostly everyone in District 4 dreads the Reaping. Normally, we get volunteer tributes (if the reaped tributes are lucky enough, a Career tribute volunteers).

Purposely, I wake up early and read my book. Reading just calms me down. Right now, the object of my obsession is an old, leather-bound book my mother kept in a box up in the attic. It's labeled the Merchant of Venice. I guess it was an okay book.

I slid into my cream dress that had a lace overlay and lace sleeves. It had a tan belt on it and I slid into some flats that were my mom's.

My best friend, Nina Ross, came over and she helped me with my hair and makeup. Nina looked utterly gorgeous for her last Reaping. Her blond curly hair was spun up in a bun and her brown eyes looked really big.

Nina braided my brown wavy hair and left it in a fancy angel braid that looked really pretty. She made my green eyes pop against my pale porcelain skin with black eyeliner and mascara that was a gift from the Capitol.

"So what do you think would happen if I decided to not go to the Reaping this year and skip out?" I asked.

"You really would consider Cromwell coming after you?" Nina asked me. Cromwell is our incredibly strict Head Peacekeeper for District 4.

"I suppose so. I would run before he could trace me." I said as she sighed.

"You're so young and naïve." Nina said rolling her eyes.

"You're 18, I'm 17. We're not that far apart." I said.

"In age. But in spirit or something else, you're like five." Nina said.

"My mother can't handle it if I go in. She already drinks enough, she doesn't need to add me not being here to the alcohol addiction." I said as Nina nodded in agreement.

My mother was an overly-obsessed alcoholic. She spends thousands of dollars a year so she can have her high class liquor. Mom used to be pretty, but now her eyes are dull and her skin is sunken. She's in a state of grief and she doesn't know how to get out of it. People at school humiliate me endlessly for it. But I suppose she has a pretty good reason to let herself slip away.

Dad left us. He and mom fought one day and he went out on a fishing journey and he never returned. Rumors fly around that he's dead, but no one knows for sure. I do know one thing, though. Dad isn't going to come back.

Nina and I stared at the green soothing wall of my bedroom and we waited for the Reaping.

"We'll be fine." She sighed as I nodded and we walked off to the town. Normally, the town was a pretty place to be at, but today it had a very gruesome and monotone tale.

I checked in and Nina and I parted ways. Rainbow- our Capitol Attendant- and the mentors came on stage at exactly two o'clock. We watched a very boring film about how Katniss Everdeen made the Capitol see sense, but we need to have one last Hunger Games to finish it off. After all, we do need a final Quarter Quell.

"For the final Quarter Quell, there will be no weapons at the Cornucopia. The weapons will be scattered around the arena." Rainbow said adjusting her cherry red wig and grinning. She was wearing a purple dress thing and it was not very attractive in District 4. But I have never had an outfit quite like that before in my life.

"Now onto our Tributes for the 100th Hunger Games." She said reaching into a glass filled with tiny little slips of paper. About a handful of those were mine!

"Our female tribute will be... Nina Ross!" Rainbow said. I watched my best friend, who was almost done and out of the Capitol's cage, walk closer to the stage. She seemed numb.

"I volunteer!" I yelled as everyone turned to stare at me. District 4 has seen volunteers before, but there was new blood in the playing field now.

I saw Annie Odair and her son, Finnick Odair smile sadly as I walked up onto the stage.

"What's your name, dear?" Rainbow asked.

"Adrianna Jennings." I replied, really hating my name now. Nina was bawling her eyes out and people forced applause. But now Nina was done and didn't have to go through the Games. However, this reminded me of a quote in my book.

_Truth will come to light; murder cannot be hid long; a man's son may; but, in the end, truth will out. -Launcelot Gobbo_

I was a District 4 Tribute for a Quarter Quell. I was a volunteer. I was a best friend/sister. I was a daughter. I was a swimmer. I was an artist. I am a wavy haired brunette with light jade green eyes.

But now, I am dead meat.

**Author's Note: **So this is the first official chapter. It's just a look into what's going to happen! And as of today, I only need **3** more characters left: **the District 5 boy, the District 6 boy, and the District 8 boy.**So it's going to be first come first serve for the final three! And all the spots are solidified! Thanks to all of those who participated! I'm working on the next Chapter as we speak! So tune in for that and please read and review!

XO, GirlonFire


	2. Chapter 2: I am Lost

Trey- my District partner seemed very confident with himself. I wish I could say the same. Rainbow forced him to shake my hand and he at least could seem almost alright for the cameras. I wonder what I looked like. Maybe if I pretended like I was strong now, I would get a lot of sponsors to buy my way out of the Games?

The Peacekeepers led us away somewhere and we split up. I followed some Peacekeepers to a very lavish room. It was so much more than what I thought it would be. It was more than I ever had in my house. I sat on a leathery couch that was really comfortable and sighed.

Nina came in first. She was in tears and she simply pulled me into a hug.

"Why would you do that?!" She exclaimed.

"So you don't have to deal with the Capitol's cage anymore." I said as she rolled her eyes and she started mumbling random advice to me. I didn't catch a single word of it, but maybe it was better that I didn't.

"Time's up." Someone said as Nina pulled me into a bone crushing hug and had been pried away by the Peacekeeper's.

Nina was my only visitor, though. It was nice to know that someone cared. I wasn't expecting anyone else.

But someone knocked on my door while I was waiting for Trey's visitors to leave. I guess he was pretty popular and had some friends.

"Hello, dear." Rainbow said, popping her head in.

"Hi Rainbow." I said as she grinned.

"I just want to say that we'll be waiting here for a while. Apparently, Mr. Cocky has a ton of school friends and family." Rainbow said as I couldn't help but smile. At least I wasn't the only one who thought the Volunteer tribute as a little cocky.

"How old is he?" I asked.

"Fifteen. However, he's at the top of his class and in some of his next year's classes." Rainbow said.

I nodded. I had to remind myself that Trey was younger than me. Personally, it feels like he is too young to be this cocky. But he did volunteer so an 18-year old wouldn't be going in with me.

"Did you have some visitors?" Rainbow asked.

"Only one. The person I volunteered for." I answered.

"Oh yes. Nina Ross." Rainbow said as I nodded.

We sat in comfortable silence until Rainbow got up to leave. I stared at the ceiling and tried to find patterns in the eggshell paint. It made my eyes strain and made me tired.

Someone else knocked on the door and it was my mentor, Finnick Odair.

"Hi, Adrianna." He said ruffling his bronze hair. He had the same generic District 4 eyes as everyone and I hate these eyes. I see green eyes everywhere.

"Hi, Finnick." I said as he smiled.

"How do you feel about going into the Games?" Finnick asked. I couldn't help but snort.

"What?" Finnick asked as though I knew some deep secret.

"What sort of question is that? How does any decent person feel about their Games?" I said shrugging my shoulders.

He sat in a chair next to me and we waited. Annie joined us with food and we ate dinner together.

"Do you know the other tributes?" I asked them, out of the blue.

"We know of them, but we only personally know of a select few." Annie said as I nodded.

"In District One, there's a Career pair named Jasmine Letterman and Tommy Hayes. In District Two, there's Bree Piper and Alex Sanders. And other Careers are: the girl from 9 and Trey." Finnick said.

"Basic Career group this year." I said as Finnick nodded in agreement.

"Well, we think the girl from 9 will get an offer. She's just sort of the aggressive, strong type." Annie said.

"What's her name?" I asked.

"Lovella Reed." Finnick answered.

I remained staring at the ceiling until the Peacekeeper's told us that Trey was finally done with his visitation. Which was good, because my butt seriously feel into a deep and dark sleep.

We walked off to some car thing and we all crammed into the backseat. I was shoved between Finnick and Rainbow. And we were forced to sit in this place for at least an hour.

I would miss the heat and the sun of District 4. And the ocean with its beautiful waves. I would miss my alcoholic mother in the care of Nina. And I would miss the company of Nina, as well. I felt like I lost everything to live for and it reminded me of another quote that I'd read somewhere.

_Not until we are lost do we begin to understand ourselves.-Henry David Thoreau _


	3. Chapter 3: If Only I Could Trust

I went for a walk very early in the morning. I couldn't sleep. After my prep team took me so late last night, I was too excited looking at my new and pretty face. There was a gym in the hotel thing we stayed at. I had nothing better to do than go to the gym.

I walked past someone and he winked at me. I felt my face get very warm. He wasn't completely unattractive either, definitely a tribute. His brown hair was perfectly messy and it framed his face. His ice blue eyes popped against his skin tone. He was kind of short. I would go for him if I wasn't taller than him.

I walked laps until someone joined me.

"What are you doing here so early?" She asked moving her orange hair into a fishtail braid.

"I could ask you the same question. But I'm taking a walk." I said.

"Do you want to lift some weights with me?" She asked.

"Sure." I said trying to lift a lot in a short amount of time. My arms were basically jello.

"Okay, so your arms aren't exactly muscle-y. But you've got killer thighs and calves. You're District 4, right?" She asked.

"Yeah, we're the fishing district. So we swim and run a lot." I said.

"You're telling me. I'm in the transportation district and we play with metals a lot." She said as I smiled. I went to a dashboard thing and kicked up the two-hundred pound weight with my feet.

Her chocolate-y orbs of brown eyes bored into mine after an hour. She must've given up on doing pull-ups.

"So you're Adrianna?" She asked.

"Yes, what's your name?" I asked.

"I'm Emily Tomlinson." She said.

"Nice to meet you, Emily." I said as she smiled and nodded.

"So were you Reaped or Volunteered?" I asked. She seemed to have gotten pretty nervous when I brought up the Games. Because she twirled her necklace's chain around her finger and nervously bit the pendant. It was a golden sun.

"I was Reaped. No one even volunteered. But it's not that uncommon in the forgotten middle Districts. What about you? Reaped or Volunteered?" She asked.

I was almost afraid to answer. It felt like she wouldn't like me because I volunteered.

"I volunteered for my best friend. She was 18 and it was her last time. And I just wanted her to get out of the Capitol's cage." I said.

"I wish I had a friend like that." Emily said.

"How old are you?" I asked her.

"16. You?" She responded.

"17. What's your family like?" I asked trying to make conversation.

"Well my dad hates me, so he can't be that upset that I'm gone. And my mother is never even around, so surly she doesn't care. But my little sister, Violet, is like my best friend. And Jessie, my best friend, is like my sister." Emily said.

"I'm sorry about your parents." I said.

"Its fine, but what about your family?" Emily asked.

"Well I don't have a dad. And my mother is an obsessive alcoholic who parties every night of the week with male specimen in a bar. And she passes out and is barely ever awake anymore. I don't have any younger brothers or sisters. But I have my friend, Nina. She was who I volunteered for." I said as Emily nodded.

"What happened to your dad?" Emily asked.

"He went on a fishing journey on day. And he never returned. To this day, no one knows what happened to him. Some say he died, but they don't have proof. Others say that he's stranded, but there's no proof of that either." I said.

We sat in silence for a bit and my stomach grumbled.

"That reminds me; I was supposed to meet my mentor an hour and a half ago. So see you later." Emily said leaving me.

For some reason, she was sort of mysterious about the thing. Kind of... vague. More people joined us. But they mainly walked around the track and they were a bit more distant.

"So you made a new friend?" Finnick asked standing in the doorway. He made me jump and he started laughing.

"Apparently, but she's a little mysterious." I said.

"A lot of people aren't comfortable sharing about their home life. They try to get past that and not let it distract them during the Games." Finnick said as I nodded.

"How much did you hear?" I asked.

"Your dad's story. So not much before she left." Finnick said.

I nodded.

"So do you want her for an ally?" Finnick asked.

"I don't know, we'll see who else is an option. Because I know that I can't make the Careers." I said.

"That's fine. But if you go at it alone, you have a less likely chance that you'll make it out." Finnick said.

"I'm probably going to be delivered to District 4 in a large coffin." I sighed running a hand through my hair.

"No you are not. As long as you trust me when I say that I know what I am doing." Finnick said.

"I do trust you, Finn. But trust only goes so far." I said darkly.

"Well, it's time for your first day of training. I have some mentor business to attend to, but Annie will take you there and drop you off." Finnick said as we took the elevator back to the room.

I changed into some training clothes and Annie was waiting for us patiently.

"So Finn is gone on mentor business?" I asked.

"Yes, he won't be back until tomorrow." Annie said darkly.

She was definitely keeping a secret that definitely made her unhappy. I wasn't sure if I could trust my own mentors. But then again, who could I really trust.

_"To be trusted is a greater compliment than being loved." –George MacDonald_


	4. Chapter 4: Afraid to Love

In the elevator on the way to training, Annie decided to bring out the world's greatest advice. But then we were sent up to the penthouse and we picked up the District 12 group.

There was Katniss and Peeta Mellark, a small 12-year-old girl with dark brown hair and hazel eyes, and a boy who was gorgeous; with blond hair and sparkling gray eyes.

"Hi District 12." Annie said.

"Hi, Annie." Peeta responded as Annie smiled. They all seemed really close to each other, but how close was close? In the Capitol, people could act close to you and completely betray you.

"When you start training, don't disregard the survival stations. Those are important too. But still remember to try new weapons or whatever. Remember to hydrate yourselves and remember to have a good lunch." Annie said as we stopped at the training room.

"Thanks, Annie." I said as she smiled. Trey merely nodded and went off to the Careers. I was pretty sure that information just went over his head.

"Don't mind him." I said pulling Annie into a hug and going off.

I tried to analyze the advice Annie gave us. But Trey was waving me over to where the Careers were sitting.

"Guys, this is Adrianna Jennings." Trey said.

"Right. I'm Tommy Hayes." The person who winked at me said.

"I'm Jasmine Letterman." The other District 1 girl said twirling her light brown hair and studying my face with her dark green eyes. It was like she was staring into my soul and trying to decipher my every secret.

"I'm Bree Piper." The District 2 girl said glaring at me coldly. Her hazel highlighted hair was up in a ponytail and her gray eyes flashed angrily. I'm guessing Tommy likes me more than her.

"And I'm Alex Sanders." The other District 2 tribute said ruffling his shiny gold blond hair. He grinned boyishly and I nodded.

"Nice meeting you." I said.

"Well, Trey. What are her skills?" Jasmine asked. Bree glared at me, though. As if she knew I would be no good.

"She ties knots, spears, knives, and she's pretty good with survival." Trey said.

"We'll see. I want to try for District 7, though. And that Lovella girl, she seems good." Tommy said frowning.

"Well, I'm going to stretch and go start training." I said leaving before they could check me any farther.

I started at knots, then edible plants, then fires, then shelters, and then lunch. I sat with Rye Mellark, Cynthia Greene, and the District 7 pair.

Their names were Sylvia and Gabe. Both had a nice even tan, and their eyes were so striking against the tan. Gabe had blond hair and green eyes that sparkled. While Sylvia had chocolate-brown hair with blue eyes. However, at a different angle, her eyes turned gray.

Cynthia has brown hair with hazel eyes. She's 12. I never thought a 12-year-old could seem so small though. I had forgotten that she was from District 12. They generally starved unless you took tessarae.

"So you're Adrianna?" Sylvia asked me as I sat down with my sandwich, water bottles, and an apple.

"Yeah, nice meeting you." I said.

"I thought the Careers were going to take you." Cynthia said. So someone saw me talking to them?

"No, they just know that I'm not first on their list." I said.

"Who is first then?" Gabe asked.

"You and Sylvia." I said as we started laughing.

Cynthia called over one of her 12-year-old friends named Evelynn Rose. Evelynn is from District 5 her honey blond hair reflected and sparkled in the light. Her jade green eyes were mesmerizing and I lost myself in them. Emily joined us and sat in between me and Evelynn.

"Hi Evelynn, I'm Adrianna." I said as she smiled.

"Hi, I like your eyes. They're really pretty." Evelynn said.

"Not as pretty as yours and Cynthia's." I said as they laughed.

"You're eyes are gorgeous." Cynthia said.

"Are they? I don't like them." I said.

"They're like my eyes." Evelynn said.

"Yeah, Ade's eyes are lighter though. Like Eve's are emerald and Ade's are light jade." Cynthia said.

I smiled at the comparison and we went off to train again. I practiced with a bow and arrow, but I wasn't good. Then, I went to knives. I could hit bull's eyes from far away pretty well, so I guess I was pretty good. But I decided to practice there more.

"Who's that boy? From District 6?" I asked Gabe, knowing he was behind me.

"Oh, that's Luca. Luca Wyatt. He's from 6. He's really good with hand-to-hand combat." Gabe said.

Luca had blond hair and brown eyes. He reminded me of Nina and it created an ache in my chest.

"You look so rigid." Gabe said snapping me out of my 'blond-haired, brown-eyed' daze. He studied my bull's eyes and looked back at me.

"I haven't hit a bull's eye in a while." I said.

"Because you're so rigid and distracted." Gabe said.

"Relax." He said putting his hands on my shoulders and forcing me out of my tense place. He cracked my back and I sighed.

"Better?" He asked putting his hand on my back.

"Yeah, thanks." I said, practicing again.

I got one bull's eye straight in the middle.

"I think I'm good for knives." I said.

"You want to lift some weights?" Gabe asked.

"Sure, but I'm not very strong." I said.

"That's why we're practicing." Gabe said as if it was obvious.

"Oh that's why?" I asked as he grinned.

I could barely lift fifty pounds, but Gabe was slowly moving on up.

Gabe moved to the big weight balls and he threw one.

"How much did that weigh?" I asked.

"About 125." He said.

"That weighs more than I do." I said raising my eyebrows and putting my hands on my hips.

"Really?" He asked as I nodded.

"I'm only 102." I said as he grinned. Training ended and Gabe, Rye, Cynthia, Sylvia, Eve, and I all took the stairs back to our rooms.

"I'll see you guys tomorrow, right?" I asked.

"Sure." Rye answered with a smile.

"Sleep well. Have good dreams." I said to all of them as Cynthia and Eve hugged me and I hugged them back.

I got inside the room and gently closed the door. Trey was already here, but he was nowhere to be found. I slid down the door and started crying.

No one was even here to put me back together. Finn was out, Annie was talking with Trey about more tricks of the trade, and Rainbow had a date. I was free to let my heart shatter.

_The emotion that can break your heart is sometimes the very one that heals it..." _-Nicholas Sparks, At First Sight

**Hi everyone! Thanks for reading! Have you noticed something yet? Well, the story is a couple of chapters short. I took down the list of who was needed for the SYOT Forms! BUT: You can still find it on my profile and it's updated. And I am glad to say that we only need 2 more people! **

**Just so everyone can know, sometimes the quotes can be hints to what is coming up! So what do you think this hint is? If any, I mean. **

**Thanks for reading! **


	5. Chapter 5: Ups and Downs

I woke up when I got hit in the back with a door.

"Ow. Oh, hi Finnick." I said in a small voice.

"What are you doing sleeping against a door?!" He demanded slightly pushing the door open farther and sitting next to me.

"I was sleepwalking." I said nodding. He looked kind of skeptical and I rolled my eyes.

I went to breakfast, changed my clothes, and sat around before training. Finnick was gone again and I wondered if sponsors were really worth it. He was working so hard for nothing. In the end, we all know that I would die slowly and painfully. But I couldn't keep thinking like that.

I wondered how everyone else's sponsors were going.

Annie sat next to me.

"What are you thinking about?" Annie asked.

"Just the day, I suppose." I said.

Annie nodded and sent us off to Training.

I went out to try swords and spears. Lunch came faster than I expected. I wasn't very good with spears, but swords were kind of self explanatory.

"Hi." Cynthia said welcoming me to the table.

"Hi." I said.

I dug into my soup and dunked my bread in it.

"How is training going?" Rye asked me.

"Alright, I suppose." I said. A girl named Thalia was staring at me. Her dirty blond hair was in a straight ponytail and her dark olive green eyes were trying to read my mind. It was kind of creepy. Her black tank top and black shorts were wet when she took a too big glug of water.

The District 11 boy joined us and I groaned internally. I guess we were just a charismatic group or something. He brought along his District partner. Their names were Wolfbane and Shalise. Wolfbane seems kind enough with icy blue eyes and black straight hair. He had a muscle-y build. Meanwhile, Shalise has brown hair and striking violet eyes. She easily captured all of the boys' attention and I couldn't help but feel slightly jealous of her. Gabe, Rye, and Wolfbane all stared at her.

I glanced at Sylvia and we shared a look. It sent us into laughter.

Wolfbane called his friends Caden and Thalia over to meet us and they joined us. Thalia was the girl who stared at me. And Caden only talked with Thalia or (barely) Wolfbane. Caden has light brown hair with evenly tanned skin and blue eyes.

I finished my soup quickly and took care of the bowls I had. I sat back down and waited for them to finish. Once all 8 of us finished, training started back up.

I went off to the Disguise Station and Gabe followed me there.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were following me." I said finishing off my painting. I felt amazingly relaxed painting on my skin. Except, my prep team would kill me.

"No, I'm just easily bored." Gabe said as I nodded.

"Looking to blend in with some trees?" Gabe asked.

"Yeah, I just thought that I should practice if anything ever came up." I said as he nodded.

"So why are you so weary about allies?" Gabe asked.

"I really don't want to be responsible for someone else's death. I would feel like it was my entire fault if something happened to them."I said.

"It won't be that bad. I'm sure Caden and Thalia won't even join us." Gabe said.

"So we're allies?" I asked as he picked up a paint brush.

"Of course." Gabe said as if it was obvious. He was probably expecting Rye, Sylvia, me, Cynthia, Evelynn, and he. But what about Emily or anyone else? Or Wolfbane?

"But that means there will be 6 of us! We'll be easily hunted and attacked often." I said feeling myself getting confused and worrying. I was panicking too much.

"We would be able to stop the attacks more if we had more coverage." Gabe said.

"More coverage means more death." I said sadly.

"Of course it does, it's the Hunger Games." Gabe said painting his arm.

I felt my eyes water a little. I bit my lip and looked around from my work. This conversation took a turn for the worse.

"You're doing your strokes wrong. Give me your arm." I said as he did and I showed him the proper way on how to paint.

Training ended on a dark note and my stylists made me go with them somewhere. I felt my eyes watering.

"Darling, you look like you swallowed a Tracker Jacker nest." Vintage said pinching my cheeks. I shrugged and he sighed.

"Well Winston finished your dress." Plum said.

"When do I get to see it?" I asked trying to perk up.

"Well Winston is very shy, and refuses to let anyone but Plum see it. But, you will see it tomorrow. And not even in its full glory." Vintage answered as I sighed.

"How do you feel about tulle?" Candy asked.

"What's that?" I asked not hearing her question completely.

"Perfect!" She said ignoring me.

Annie smiled at the response.

"And what about velvet?" Plum asked.

"No velvet." I said shaking my head.

"Of course, we all feel exactly the same way." Plum replied with a smile. They went off to their rooms, probably to design something.

"So Winston is my stylist?" I asked Annie.

"Yes, but he barely talks and is very secretive. He believes that he can only talk to a different sort of people who are right." Annie answered.

"Does that mean he won't talk to people who are wrong?" I asked as she grinned. I guess it was a mystery.

"I'm going to shower." I said going off when we finished talking about random meaningless things about the Capitol.

It was past midnight and I couldn't sleep. I tiptoed out to the kitchen part of the living room and got warm milk.

I still couldn't sleep, so I thought I'd walk around for a bit to get out some of my energy.

It didn't work! I was getting frustrated and I don't know why I couldn't sleep. I made more milk and hot chocolates and I sat at the dining room table. I fell asleep at the table with my back hunched over and my head on a placemat.

"Why are you asleep on the table?" Finnick asked entering at nearly 1 in the morning.

"I couldn't sleep." I said.

"Well, you should get to bed. It's almost 1 AM." Finnick said.

"Where were you today?" I asked.

"Being a good mentor." Finnick said.

I nodded. I would say that I needed some mentor-advice, but I don't want him to stop what he's doing.

"Okay, well. I think I'm alright to head back to bed." I said tiptoeing back.

I lay in my bed, but I couldn't close my eyes. And then it was morning. Morning came faster than I thought it would.

_Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana -Groucho Marx_

**Okay everyone, here's Chapter 5! If you have any suggestions for plot ideas ****_except the Games,_****review/PM me! And thanks for reading everyone :) It makes me super happy to see everyone reviewing and reading! I'm busy this weekend though, so I thought I would update today. I'm going out with my friends after school tomorrow and we're going to a hotel to get a relaxing getaway weekend. And who knows? Maybe I'll get an idea for more plot stuff! **


	6. Chapter 6: Head Over Heels

Today was the last day of training for us. And after training, we had our private session for our scores. It was a big deal today.

I got dressed for training and Trey was already there. From what I saw, he was going to pick Lovella up and walk her to training. If I didn't know any better, he had a crush on Lovella. But the real question was if she felt that way about him as well.

Finnick walked me to training and we stood in the elevator.

"Is there something you've wanted to ask me?" He asked me.

"I...umm... yes." I answered as the doors dinged and Sylvia and Gabe joined us along with their mentor, Johanna.

"Is she a tribute or a Capitol-girl? You seem pretty close." Johanna asked Finnick. My face went really red. Gabe and Sylvia laughed at me and I rolled my eyes.

"My tribute." Finnick answered.

"Have you noticed the amount of 12-year-olds in these Games?" Johanna asked.

"Of course we have. And we all know how that's going to end. But I have a 17-year-old and a 15-year-old." Finnick said as I shuddered at the word choice. My eyes watered again and I couldn't let my mind wander.

"She's not too young for you, Finn." Johanna said, changing the subject.

"I'm happily dating Prim." Finnick said.

"Sure, but you know how the Capitol citizens like to gossip." Johanna said. I guess people were gossiping about Finnick and me. But something in the tone of her voice made me wonder if she knew where Finnick was going when he said 'mentor-stuff'.

"Sure, but they're also gossiping about Sylvia and Gabe, Gabe and Adrianna, Adrianna and Rye, and Sylvia and Rye. Even me and Adrianna. And you and Gabe." Finnick said. I really hated gossip sometimes.

"We're not a love triangle anymore, we're a love square." Gabe said as we laughed.

"Actually, I think we're a love hexagon." I said correcting him.

"You know that's different. People think you're into her. That's like me being into Gabe, here." Johanna said as Gabe went pale and I laughed.

We got out on the training room floor and everyone was waiting. The doors opened and everyone rushed in. But Gabe, Sylvia, and I took our time walking in.

I went to hand-to-hand combat and I was good at punching people. I watched my instructor stop the session and put me on the advanced side.

From training, we went straight into our private sessions and I had to think about what I was going to do. I decided on hand-to-hand, knives, and spears. It would seem impressive if I could get higher than a 5.

Jasmine went, then Tommy. Then Bree, then Alex. And then I went. And I thought I forgot everything I was going to do.

"Adrianna Jennings, District 4." I said as the Gamemakers looked up. Someone nodded at me to go and I fought with a dummy. And then I went to knives and spears and it seemed like I redeemed myself then.

I finished once they dismissed me and I went to the elevator. It dinged and Finnick stepped out.

"Hey, I was just finished." I said.

"I wanted to give you some of my famous Finnick-Odair advice before you went in." He said frowning as I smiled.

"I think I did fine." I said as he nodded and we waited for Trey to finish up. Trey finished quickly and I felt instantly insecure. He looked so confident and assured. He winked at Lovella and she blushed.

He walked ahead of us and took the stairs.

Finnick pressed the elevator button and we went up slowly.

"So how was your day?" I asked.

"Good, just trying to get a Press Conference." Finnick said.

"About what?" I asked.

"Stomping out some rumors and getting sponsors." Finnick said.

I nodded and we ate dinner. I sighed and it was time to watch all the Reapings. Districts 1, 2, and 4 had the most Career tributes. But there were other Volunteers, as well. The girl from District 10 (Thalia) volunteered for her friend because the friend was weak and she was stronger. The District 9 boy volunteered before anyone could even read the name. He must've seen through it. And even Gabe volunteered for his younger brother Max, who was young and too weak to make it through the Games.

Everyone else was reaped.

"Now we get to watch scores." Rainbow said, twitching with excitement. I gave her a half-hearted smile and she turned on Ceasar Flickerman.

Tommy got a 10, Jasmine got a 9, Alex got an 11, Bree got a 10. It was kind of impressive, but they must've worked really hard for their high scores.

"Trey Stone, District 4. Gets an 8." Ceasar said reading off a card. Everyone clapped a little for Trey. And I waited for my score with nervous anticipation.

"Adrianna Jennings, District 4. Gets an 11." Ceasar continued as my eyes widened and my jaw dropped open. I expected a 6, maybe. Definitely not an 11. How could I beat Trey and half of the Careers?

Everyone cheered excitedly and Finnick pulled me into a hug.

"I guess you didn't need my advice." Finnick said.

"I just tried to impress them." I said. Studying Finnick's face as he held me in the hug. My feet dangled off of the ground.

Finnick looked exhausted. Absolutely dead. And he looked sick and his hair lost shine. He looked sickly and pale.

"Maybe you should freshen up and go to bed for an early night." I said pulling away so I could see his face.

"How sweet. Maybe you two really are in love." Rainbow said, sitting on the squashy couch. She seemed very lovey-dovey for us. She was so involved in our gossip scandal and she would definitely make sure this got around.

"Seriously Finnick, go to bed." I said as he smiled and nodded.

Rainbow turned off the TV directly after Finnick left and went to get some Capitol Luxuries to celebrate with.

After fancy desserts, my stomach felt full and slushy. I groaned and felt my overeating ache.

I went to shower and freshen up. And then, maybe fall asleep watching some TV. But getting in the shower took longer than I thought. I couldn't figure out any buttons on the remote. In the end, I found out how to turn on the shower, fill up the bath, make the water stop and go in rhythmic patterns on my back, made the water smell like strawberries and mints, turned on the jets in the bath, and couldn't figure out how to drain the water. So I left it to someone with more experience with Capitol showers.

I plopped on the couch in the viewing room and dozed off a bit. I guess I was watching Ceasar Flickerman. But in a few days, I would be interviewed with Ceasar and on the show, too.

_"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards" -Søren Kierkegaard_

**Hi everyone :) I have enough time to put in one more chapter! Thanks for reading the story! **

**Who are you currently shipping? Finnick x Adrianna, Adrianna x Gabe, Sylvia x Gabe, Rye x Sylvia, Rye x Adrianna or anyone else that I haven't thought of in like 2 seconds.**

**Please review! Thanks! **


	7. Chapter 7: I Do Not Know How To Flirt

**Hey everyone! Thanks for reading up to this point, however, no one really reviews. They just add you to their favorites! So if you could please review sometime when you have time it would make my day :) And I want to give a shout-out!**

**Thanks ****Sungirl12 ****for so many encouraging PMs and a review on every chapter! I want to thank ****Chucklez-Lives-On**** for reviewing, too! Thanks! :)**

**Enjoy! **

My prep team was waiting for me when I woke up and I barely said two words. They pulled me into a big room I didn't know we had. They yawned and looked at me. They seemed exhausted. Vintage chugged some coffee that he had in a mug and sighed.

"I think you're still okay, as far as waxing goes." Vintage said.

They checked everywhere for strands of unwanted hair and anything that they missed the first time.

They applied some light makeup that sparkled dimly under the lighting. And then from the room next to me, I heard Trey crying.

"I have to go check on him." I said feeling responsibility. I know he doesn't like me, but I didn't care. I needed to know why he was crying.

"Trey?" I asked, knocking gently on the door. I stood in a silky robe and crossed my arms over my ribs.

He opened the door and I looked into his red eyes.

"Are you alright?" I asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine." He said as I nodded and he made me leave. So much for knowing why he was sobbing.

I walked back to the room.

"Everything okay?" Candy asked.

"Yeah, he's fine." I said as they continued working. They covered up the full-length mirror and sprayed fancy perfumes on me.

They began doing my hair, and I wasn't allowed to see it.

"So for the interview, we're going to leave your hair natural. So don't touch it." Plum snapped as I nodded.

I shivered in my robe.

And then I met my antisocial stylist who didn't talk to anyone but Plum and I wonder why.

"Did Annie and Finnick address the angle you're going for?" Winston asked.

"We are now." Finnick said coming in.

"Okay, what are angles?" I asked.

"You can be flirty, funny, sexy, smart, or anything else." Finnick said.

"I can't pull off sexy." I said shaking my head. Finnick laughed.

"Try flirty." Finnick said.

"Let's practice while I straighten out her dress." Winston said leaving.

Finnick nodded.

"What do you think of the Capitol?" Finnick asked.

"I definitely love the people. I love how fun everything is here. Capitol citizens definitely know how to party." I said.

Finnick couldn't help but snort.

"What is the main difference from the Capitol and District 4?" He asked.

"I think how everyone can pull off many different clothes in a flattering way is pretty different. If someone tried to wear this amazing dress in District 4, they wouldn't be able to do it." I said.

"What's your favorite part of the Capitol?" He asked.

"I definitely love how friendly the people are. So many people stop by and say hello or whatever. It's definitely so nice and reassuring." I said.

"No, you're not a flirt. You're funny to me, but not to the Capitol. They may think you're being appreciative. We can work with that." Finnick said nodding.

"You nervous?" He asked as people started screaming.

"Kind of. Any advice?" I asked.

"Don't say 'umm' a lot and don't stutter." Finnick said as I nodded.

"Mr. Odair, unless you want the world to know you've seen your tribute unclothed, I suggest you let her get changed." Vintage said.

"Finnick wait!" I said quickly.

"What happens if they ask about you? Or us romantically?" I asked.

"Just tell them I have a sweetheart back in District 12." Finnick said as I nodded and Vintage pulled me away to get changed.

I slid into the ocean blue high-low dress that had sparkle embellishments and flowed out in wavy ruffles in the low skirt. It was an A-line strap less dress that had a little sparkle clip in the bodice.

"Gorgeous." Plum sighed enviously.

"Can you walk in heels, darling?" Candy asked.

"Not well." I said.

"No time like the present to practice." Candy said forcing me in some cream heels that were pumps with some sparkly accessory thing that branched off to the sides of the shoe.

"Stable?" Vintage asked as I nodded.

"Great, we need to get you in the chariot." Vintage said leading me off somewhere.

"Hey you look amazing." Rye said meeting us halfway.

I groaned.

"I can't get in the chariot!" I said frowning.

"Here, I'll hold your tail." Sylvia offered coming up out of nowhere. I really needed to pay attention.

"Now grab my hand and step up on the platform." Rye said.

"Tributes, five minutes!" A booming voice said.

"Thanks." I sighed when I felt the platform under my feet.

"I'm guessing you're not skilled with heels?" Sylvia asked.

"No, not ones this high." I said as Candy came around with her date and fixed my tail.

"Thanks." I said to her as she grinned and went off.

Rye was in a black sparkly unitard with coal dust on his cheeks. He looked good, except for the crazy costume.

Sylvia was wearing a dress that looked like autumn leaves. It started red at the top, then went orange, and then yellow at the bottom. Her hair was naturally straight with leaves tangled in it and it was volumized. And she had pretty mud designs on her arms.

"You all look nice." Gabe said joining us.

Gabe was wearing a green shirt with brown pants. He had a wreath made of leaves on his head and mud designs on his skin, too. He reminded me of a tree, but it made sense for District 7. Last year, they were supposed to be hatchets and axes. But no one got the idea.

"You do too." I said.

"Why are you in the chariot so early?" Cynthia asked joining us.

Cynthia was wearing a black, sparkly leotard with coal dust on her skin. So same thing as Rye, basically.

And Evelynn came over because she saw Cynthia. Evelynn was wearing a floor length pale blue dress with silver, blue, and pink sequins.

"Look at the Careers lately? They seem keen with Trey." Gabe said.

"I know. And Lovella. But then again, Trey is really into Lovella." I said darkly.

Tommy was wearing a golden suit that had sparkly gems sewn into it. It reflected like a disco ball in the lights. Jasmine was wearing a gold dress with rubies sewn into it. She had a huge headdress that was a feather! Alex wore a bronze armor with a shiny bronze headdress, and a pair of black boots that looked really comfortable. I want to see him walk around in heels. Lovella was wearing a silver knee-length dress with sparkly seed things sewn onto it. Her District partner, Marty, was practically wearing the same seeds on his outfit. Overall, Bree was the most stunning. She looked like an angel. She was wearing a white flowing silk dress with silver gems sewn in at the waist and neckline. And then there was Trey. He was wearing an ocean blue tunic with seaweed in his hair. He had blue sandals on and even those looked better than heels. The District 8 girl was wearing a dress that seemed like it was made of many different clothes and textures. It made sense and it was original. It would definitely raise eyebrows. Emily was wearing a very short dress with electrical wires that make her light up. Her headpiece was a big plane and it reminded everyone that she was the Transportation District. Luca was wearing a gray-ish suit with tire tracks all over it. Caden was dressed as a cowboy and he looked very... shiny. Thalia was a cow-girl and she and Caden matched. Wolfbane was dressed a bright nectarine colored suit with a sombrero thing with tiny fruits dangling off of it. I guess he was an orchard. Shalise was wearing a nectarine colored gown that was covered in fake leaves with a wreath thing of fruits and leaves on her head.

"Tributes, 2 minutes!" The voice said as people started walking to their chariots.

"You guys better go." I said.

"Yeah, see you later. Okay?" Rye asked.

"Sure, see you." I said with a small smile. Was this his crazy way of telling me that he wanted to see me?

Trey got in the chariot and I turned my gaze to study the audience that seemed to pile up.

"Thanks for early. It means a lot that you care." Trey said, surprising me.

"It's not a big deal. I've cried many times here before. And I thought I should be there to help." I said.

"But you made your prep wait!" Trey said.

"It was good to get out of there for a bit. I couldn't handle being with my prep team for long." I said jokingly.

"Well, thanks." Trey said as we started moving. Some guy was directing the horses on when to go.

We started waving and people screamed when we passed.

"LOOK AT HER DRESS!" Someone yelled.

I just noticed that the low part of my skirt was flying behind me in ocean waves! That was so cool! But I felt kind of naked. I didn't have much coverage on my legs when the skirt was flying. But as long as people knew it was water, I'm good.

They threw flowers and roses and I caught one.

People screamed even louder than before and I grinned.

"Look at District 4's amazing entrance! It appears that those two are very comfortable with each other!" Someone said announcing us. What a stupid announcement.

I got goose bumps on my legs and I was glad when we stopped because my skirt fell back to normal and people started chanting.

"Welcome tributes!" President Rayn said.

"We welcome you to the Capitol and enjoy seeing your performance." He said brushing his brown mane of curly hair.

The chariots sped off somewhere and we all got off the platforms.

My prep team whirled me away somewhere and took off all the makeup. They redid it and changed me into a short scaly looking cocktail dress. It had blue-green sparkles in the scales and I looked at myself. It was a sweetheart neckline with a flower-y strap.

"Isn't this a bit short and revealing?" I asked.

"You won't feel that way." Vintage said grinning and adding a touch more blush.

Trey and his Career-buddy, Alex, wore simple black suits. Gabe wore a dark green suit and Rye wore a sparkly black suit.

Plum and Candy began to fix up my hair and they pinned seashells in it. It looked like I was wearing a seashell crown. They put on pearl jewelry.

Jasmine was wearing a short pink puffy dress. She looked pretty, but by now, everyone knew she was pretty and was used to it and it wasn't overwhelming.

Bree looked gorgeous as always though. And I have to admit, I was kind of envious. She was wearing an ice blue silky dress that was long and made of fancy stuff. Her hazel hair was put into a complicated braided updo and she made me feel extremely insignificant.

"What are you staring at?" Finnick asked joining us.

"Nothing, except how great everyone else looks! And I'm not allowed to look at myself." I said.

"You look nice." Finnick said.

"Just nice?" I asked nervously.

"Don't worry about how you look." Finnick said helping me off the podium and walking me out to the hall where Ceasar Flickerman was waiting to greet us.

"Hello, tributes. I just want to say good luck." Ceasar said leaving us. Sylvia stood next to me in a dark green plain dress that had thick straps, a fitted bodice, and gold accents. She wore gold jewelry and gold flats.

"You look pretty." I said with a small smile.

"You nervous?" She asked.

"Kind of." I answered.

"I love your dress." She said grinning.

Some Capitol-guy came off and dragged Jasmine with him. I guess she was going for the flirty angle and she kind of failed it. Then Tommy went and he pulled off confident perfectly. Bree went out and went for funny. Alex went out and he tried for fun guy. But it was kind of repetitive, with Bree doing it first.

And then it was my turn. I was backstage behind the wings and I took a deep-low breath.

"And here is the amazing, female tribute from District Four... Adrianna Jennings!" Ceasar said calling me out. I waved to the audience and smiled as I sat down.

**Thanks for reading everyone! So about what I said at the top of this chapter... I'm not going to do the '20 Reviews 'Til the Next Chapter', because that is sort of sad. So instead... what if I offered some sneak peaks for maybe 5 reviews on a chapter? **

**It's a consolation prize. You review, you get a sneak peak at the end of the next chapter? **

**Thanks for reading! -GirlonFire7953**


	8. Chapter 8: Darkness

Ceasar was saying something to me, but the audience was making me nervous. I searched for Annie. I found her sitting by Johanna Mason and the Mellarks.

"I'm sorry, what?" I asked as the audience laughed.

"You look very nice today." Ceasar repeated. I smiled.

"Oh, thank you. I guess I can thank Winston, Vintage, Plum, and Candy." I said as all four of them stood up and accepted applause. It was a very long applause. I wasn't sure if they were clapping to clap or clapping because it was a long and hard work for them.

"How do you like the Capitol?" Ceasar asked me. Onto the interview part.

"I love it. The people here are so charming and I love every minute I am here. The Capitol people really know how to throw amazing parties and I am so thankful for being able to go to them. But the people are always so nice and they stop and say hello and it is so encouraging." I said as people started cheering loudly and I grinned.

"What's the main difference between the Capitol and District 4?" Ceasar asked.

"Definitely the fashions. Everyone here can pull off amazing fashions in such a flattering way and it looks amazing! I so wish I could pull off clothes like that." I said as people roared with applause. They loved me! There's a first. Someone finally loved me enough!

"You seem very grateful for being here. And it's refreshing to find someone so appreciative of being in the Games." Ceasar said.

"Well the Capitol has given me so many experiences and I think they should know how much I appreciate it." I said as people applauded and roared with excitement again. I so had them in the palm of my hand.

"Too true, Adrianna. Now there are certain rumors about you and a Mr. Finnick Odair. Can you confirm or deny these rumors? You two are all the rage here! Everyone seems to think that there is a young romance beginning." Ceasar said.

"As far as romance goes, Finnick and I are friends." I said trying to do what Finnick told me and carry out the detail of him dating Prim. But the way everyone was looking at me told me to leave it at that and let them hope.

"So you must have a sweetheart in District 4 then?" Ceasar said.

"No, I'm not dating anyone." I said.

"Surly someone as gorgeous as you has a sweetheart?" Ceasar asked.

"Oh Ceasar, you're making me blush. But no, I don't have a sweetheart. I don't really think I could handle a distraction right now, I just need to focus and put my mind to it." I said as everyone laughed.

"And how do you feel about the 11 as your training score?" Ceasar asked leaning forward in his seat. His electric blue wig almost fell off.

"I'm still in shock. I just tried my very best and trained to the best of my ability, so I suppose it worked out." I answered as Ceasar grinned.

"Can you tell us what you did in training?" Ceasar asked.

"No, I'm sworn to secrecy. Sorry though. Maybe after the Games." I said as Ceasar smiled.

"So you volunteered for Nina Reed? Correct?" Ceasar asked gravely.

"Yeah." I answered as the interview seemed to have taken a low point. It got sad really fast. I fidgeted in my seat. I looked up at the audience and they were leaning forward in their seats. I couldn't stop my eyes from watering a bit.

"Why? Do you think she is unfit to be a tribute, undeserving?" Ceasar asked.

"She is my best friend and I know she would have been unfit for the Games. It wasn't her personality." I answered.

"How noble. Truly inspiring, Miss Jennings. It appears that we are out of time." Ceasar said.

"Thank you for the interview, Ceasar." I said smiling.

"Citizens, District 4!" Ceasar said announcing my end. I waved goodbye to the audience and blew a kiss to them. People freaked out.

And then I noticed that my short cocktail dress turned into a long mermaid tulle tail. It was gorgeous.

Finnick was waiting backstage for me.

"That was great!" He said pulling me into a hug.

"I couldn't do it Finn. I couldn't do what you told me. I'm really sorry and I tried my best." I said running a hand nervously through my hair.

What if he gave up on me now? What if I ruined everything?

"It's okay, I think I found a way to say that you did just enough." Finnick promised as I sighed in relief and continued to pull the pins out of my hair.

"Can we go up to the room? I want to try to get sleep and relax a bit." I said.

"We have to wait for Trey." Finnick said.

"Why? He's only going to ditch us for Lovella." I said.

"No matter how many times he isn't a good sport, we need to be better than that." Finnick said.

"Right, I suppose you're right." I sighed kicking off my heels and carrying them in my hand.

"On the bright side, you look better than I did when I was interviewed. But for mine, since it wasn't the last Games ever, we had to space out the Chariots and Interviews more." Finnick said.

"What's something you regret about your Games?" I asked.

"I regret my killings. I killed my District partner." Finnick said.

"How?" I asked quietly.

"Well the same way as anyone else I guess." Finnick said darkly.

"I can't imagine me killing Trey or Trey killing me." I said.

"Well, we worked it out. She was deathly sick. She had a cancerous bump and she never had enough sponsors to get her good, strong medicine. She didn't want to die against her own will. So she had me do it to her as a last resort." Finnick said.

"It's okay Finn. You don't need to tell me anything else, if you don't want. I was wrong to pry." I said.

He stormed out and I was left waiting for Trey backstage. I wasn't his mentor and it felt wrong, but Trey needed someone there for him like Finnick was for me.

"Right, where's Finnick?" Trey asked.

"He stormed out." I said.

Trey nodded and didn't question me any farther. We walked back to the room and tried to keep small talk up to avoid awkwardness.

I showered and put on pajamas once we got to the room. And I tried to go to bed. But I kept dreaming about how loud the canon would sound once I died.

Its times like these, I wish I was a Mellark or a Odair. Because their parents were in the Games and no one would dare hurt victors!

I crept out of bed quietly and sat at the couch until morning.

"How long have you been up?" Annie asked me.

"Since 2 A.M." I answered.

"Understandable." She answered.

"Where's Finn?" I asked.

"He's doing mentor-stuff." Annie said again. That was the only thing that Finnick seemed to not tell me about. "Mentor-stuff" was ruining our whole relationship.

Annie handed me off to Winston and we got ready.

**Well, thanks for reviewing everyone who did! And thanks for reading, also. **

**So I PM-ed a few of you who reviewed the sneak peaks, but I think that it would work better if I just put it in at the end of the chapter. But here's the catch: the more reviewers there are on that chapter, the more lines you get of a sneak peak! So I think that will work out a little better for those who disabled PM-ing or those who aren't members and can't PM. Since last chapter had 3 reviews, you get 3 lines of sneak peak. Deal?**

**Here it is:**

_BOOM!_ The gong sounded and everyone took off running. A few jumped in the water that didn't really look like water. But a good portion of us took off running in the opposite direction.

However, when everyone else was running in the opposite direction of the Cornucopia, I was running to the side of it.

**... ... ... **

**Yes the Games have started officially! Are you excited? Because I totally am and can't wait for you to read the next chapter! **

**XO, GirlonFire**


	9. Chapter 9: Beginning of the End

The outfits were warm, but not necessarily bulky. They looked light enough to swim in, but warm enough to protect us from frostbite. I guess there would be water and cold nights in these Games.

Winston and Vintage came in quietly and we all sobbed together. Plum, Candy, Vintage, Winston, and I sobbed in a group hug together.

"Next time we see you, darling, you'll be living large in District 4." Candy said wiping away her tears. One of her eyelashes stuck to her cheek and I smiled a very watery smile. Plum's tattoos around her eyes were suffering serious water damage.

"Of course, I promise I'll try my hardest." I said pulling them into one last hug and stepping off the podium they had me stand on. Winston pulled me into an individual hug and sent me off into the tube that was reminding me that I had 60 seconds left.

I had a claustrophobia attack for a few minutes while the tube was rising me up. The body of the Cornucopia was up on top of a hill that was located on an island. But nothing would be there. It was only the metallic body of the building.

I was in the middle of Bree Piper and Gabe. I looked around nervously as the clock began to count away the seconds.

30. I really hoped I didn't die.

25. What if I had to kill?

20. What if it was between my allies and me?

15. What if I had to kill my friends?

10. What if I had to avenge one of my friends?

5. I would become a murderer.

4. What if one of my friends died?

3. I can't think about this now.

2. I'm being overly analytical.

1. I can't afford to think so much

0. I really just want to get this over.

_BOOM!_ The gong sounded and everyone took off running. A few jumped in the water that didn't really look like water. But a good part of us took off running in the opposite direction.

However, when everyone else was running in the opposite direction of the Cornucopia, I was running to the side of it.

Gabe and Sylvia caught up to me easily, but Rye was stuck with two twelve-year olds and I sighed. I couldn't find Emily, Wolfbane, Shalise, or anyone else.

I ran back out to get Evelynn and Rye took Cynthia. Sylvia and Gabe were waiting for us and we went in the southwestern direction.

"We're safe for now." Rye sighed as we found a crater hole that was large enough for the six of us.

"Were there any canons yet?" Sylvia asked.

"No. No one is going to die at Cornucopia." I said.

Evelynn and Cynthia were whispering about something and giggling. I sighed at the two twelve-year olds and smiled a very small smile. At least some friendship was blooming in the Games. Something so innocent surly couldn't last long.

"I'm going out to find berries." I said as they nodded and I climbed a tree not too far away from us. There was a backpack out on the end of a branch next to a mockingjay nest. I reached out to grab the backpack, but the mockingjays were singing again.

It was Nina screaming at me. She was mad about me volunteering for her.

I sighed and continued to climb down the tree. My toes barely touched the branch below us but I was dangling from the branch with the backpack on it. I slowly inched myself closer to the backpack and the sound picked up again.

I just gritted my teeth and jumped from the bottom branch and grabbed the backpack. I fell back on the rough ground that held leaves and twigs. I groaned and quickly got up.

"Look what I found." I said excitedly showing everyone the backpack.

"Forget the pack. Who was screaming?" Gabe asked sitting on the ground. I sat next to him and crossed my legs.

"It was a mockingjay who recorded my friend screaming." I said.

"Well let's see what's in the backpack." Evelynn suggested.

We had an assortment of knives, an axe, some dried peaches, plums, and some raisins.

"Not a bad haul." Gabe said studying the axe.

"Sylvia, until we find another backpack, you can use the knives. My aim isn't really great when I'm under pressure." I said handing her 6 of the 10 knives I collected.

Rye took 2 and I took 2. For now, we agreed that the twelve-year olds shouldn't worry about that stuff yet. We need to wait until there's a weapon that they are for sure about.

For now, we planned to cover the entrance of our crater and sleep the first day of the Games away.

"Be sure to make it inconspicuous." Sylvia said.

Rye and Gabe moved rocks to cover the entrance and it just looked like there was an avalanche.

"We should probably rest up for tomorrow." I said feeling the temperature drop. That normally meant that it was night. Or the Games have officially started.

**The Games have started and anything goes! And here is your sneak peak:**

There was a twelve pack of knives this time. Rye and I took six and we split three with Sylvia and Gabe.

The first canon of the Hunger Games went off and I prayed that it was all going to be alright. It was the District 8 girl- Azalea Bollenback.

**... ... ... **

**Excited? Well, I definitely am! I have up to Chapter 19 writen and I think that there would be like 22 or 23 chapters or so. I am officially so excited, but sad because I don't want to end the story. It's been soo fun! I've already began to brainstorm some next ideas for my next story. **

**Thanks for reading! **

**XO, GirlonFire**


	10. Chapter 10: Statistics

**Happy 1st Day of MidWinter Break! I have a long extended weekend of 5 days! Woohoo! Anyways... thanks for reading! Hope you enjoy~**

In the early morning, I woke up to find that everyone was gone. I thought that maybe they decided to go hunting or searching for another backpack.

I stifled a yawn and someone began moving the rocks. I panicked and pulled a knife out of my boot. I readied myself and saw it was just Gabe coming back.

"What's up?" I asked sighing in relief. I put my knife away.

"Nothing, we just found some animals to eat and two more backpacks." Gabe said.

"I wonder how many there are." I said quietly as Gabe led me to where everyone was sitting. It was around a freshwater pond. I drank some water and sighed in relief.

"Did you guys open the backpacks?" I asked.

"No we were waiting for Gabe to come back with you." Rye said grinning. Well almost, it didn't exactly reach his face.

"Well let's open them." I said excitedly.

We all huddled around as Sylvia opened the first one.

There was a sleeping bag, a blanket, a canteen, some fruits, and a photograph of Ceasar Flickerman.

"What?" I asked looking at the photo.

"I'm going to sleep with it under my pillow every night." I said joking around as everyone snickered.

"What's in the second one?" Cynthia asked.

"Good question." Rye said as he opened it.

There was an archery set, a few more knives, a dagger, and a sheath of arrows.

"So Cynthia, I know you've been hinting about archery. So this is yours." Rye said handing her the bow and arrows.

"Evelynn, you can have the dagger and a few knives now. But we'll split them half and half between us." I said as she nodded.

There was a twelve pack of knives this time. Rye and I took six and we split three with Sylvia and Gabe.

The first canon of the Hunger Games went off and I prayed that it was all going to be alright. It was the District 8 girl, Azalea Bollenback.

"There are only 23 of us left now." I said darkly.

"And 6 of the 23 are Careers." Rye said.

"Well there are 6 of us, too." Gabe said.

"Trey keeps trying to flirt with Lovella and it's really weird." I said changing the subject. I can't do math right now. I know there are 12 known allied groups, but I couldn't think of who else there was.

We walked back to the crater hole where I hoped that I wouldn't have to die until at least the last 8.

For dinner, we had some of the raisins and some dried pear.

Another canon went off and I poked my head out to see who it was. It was the girl from 10. Wait, the girl from 10 was Thalia Springs. I knew her!

"Make that 22." Evelynn sighed as we all kept to ourselves.

We all eventually fell asleep. My sleep was a bit restless, but I still managed to toss and turn myself into some sleep. I just didn't feel safe. It feels like someone should keep watch if someone finds us.

And then someone else started to move the boulders. I grabbed the assortment of knives. I couldn't see who was there, but if it was a Career, they would lose a head.

**It was sort of a filler chapter today :/ Sorry! But either way, HAPPY ALMOST 400 VIEWS! I never imagined that my story would take me over 150, so you guys are amazing! Here is your sneak peek too:**

Someone stepped on leaves or something and it gave away their place.

Out of instinct, I threw the knife at them and heard a strangled scream.

**Who did she kill? Nervous? Small cliffhanger! Cliffies are so much fun to type, sorry! And this SpellCheck is really driving me ****CRAZY****! It's the Hunger Games, not every word/name can be correctly spelt!**

**Anyway: Thanks again to Sungirl12 and Chucklez-Lives-On for the reviews! Chapter 10, already guys! This story is going by so quickly! **


	11. Chapter 11: The Time to Mourn

**Hey everyone! 2 Chapters in one day, I am officially on fire! YAY! So the chapter starts with an excerpt the last chapter. So you aren't too lost. Enjoy~**

_And then someone else started to move the boulders. I grabbed the assortment of knives. I couldn't see who was there, but if it was a Career, they would lose a head._

It was Wolfbane with Shalise and Caden. So that was the plan. Once someone else died in their group, they would crash with someone else.

"Oh, umm... hi guys." I said quietly.

"Sorry, Ade. But without Thalia we need to find somewhere else to stay." Wolfbane said.

"There's not much room with nine of us, but make yourselves comfortable and stay quiet." I said as they nodded and went to sleep quickly.

I stayed up and kept guard.

"You look exhausted." Sylvia said as I nodded and yawned.

She handed me a quarter of a dried peach and I smiled.

"I'm going to try fishing." I said as Sylvia nodded and came with me. I caught two fish and she started skinning them. I was aiming for a third when Rye came.

"Hi, fisher-lady." Rye said as I smiled and caught a third fish.

Sylvia gutted and skinned it and we worked on bringing it back.

Rye had most of the fish and Sylvia was washing her hands. But then, Rye doubled over and I screamed. Someone was shooting at us!

I kneeled next to Rye and saw a knife lodged in his side. It didn't look like it was in too deep.

"Okay, Rye. Breathe in and hold your breath." I said grabbing the bloody knife and pulling it out.

He groaned and struggled as I did, but it was out.

Someone stepped on leaves or something and it gave away their place. Out of instinct, I threw the knife at them and heard a strangled scream.

"Sylvia, will you go check who it was?" I asked as a canon went off. I needed to know who my first kill was.

"Finnick, I need help!" I screamed as tears streamed down my cheeks.

Finnick certainly took his sweet time sending me a parachute. Actually, it was Peeta who sent the parachute. But I didn't care. I needed Rye to stay alive.

I gently rolled up Rye's shirt and rubbed medicine in gently. I hiccupped and started sobbing. I wiped off my tears with my bloody hands and sighed.

Sylvia came back with a solemn look on her face.

"Ade, it was Caden." She said. I bit my lip.

"Go take Rye back to the crater. I'll be back at sunset." I said running in the opposite direction of the crater. I stopped on a cliff that was seemingly deserted.

I was unable to stop my tears and screams. I killed someone who was my ally! Someone appeared out of nowhere though.

"Ade, are you okay?" Emily asked appearing from the trees.

"I don't know what I'm doing. Or what I just did. I killed my ally." I said drying off my tears. She pulled me into a one-armed hug.

"Why?" She asked.

"He shot something at someone and I just reacted." I said.

"Well if you'd like, I can stay with you." Emily offered as I nodded and pulled my knees up to my chest. Emily sat with me for a while and I caught my breath.

"Are you okay?" Gabe asked suddenly. He had a sad look on his face and it told me that he knew everything.

"I killed Caden." I said.

"I know, let's go clean you up." Gabe said soothingly. I nodded and he led me to where my fishing spot was. Emily followed us there and she frowned.

"Does Wolfbane hate me? He's going to hate me. He's going to hate me!" I asked quietly. I paced back and forth and ran a hand through my hair.

"No, he knows it was an accident." Gabe said.

"It's an accident when you give someone a paper cut. Not lodge a knife through their head." I said.

"Wolfbane knows that Caden hurt Rye." Gabe said.

"I used the same knife. I didn't have time to think. Before I knew it, I was throwing the knife. And I thought I would stay innocent throughout the Games." I sighed.

"One kill isn't too bad." Emily said.

"It's only the second day." I reminded her. I never wanted to kill someone. Gabe and I walked back to the crater and there was a parachute.

"It wasn't there when I left, so it must be for you." Gabe said.

I opened it and it was more medicine for Rye.

"Thank you, Finnick." I sighed. Better late than never.

"Don't forget to read the note." Gabe said as I found the small slip of paper.

**You did what you had to do. Just move on –F**

"That's kind of insensitive." Emily said reading over my shoulder.

"That's Finnick. But it's for the better that we don't bring up Caden inside of the crater." I said looking at my feet.

"Yeah." Gabe said beginning to shift the rocks.

"Emily, would you like to stay with us for the night? It's getting dark now." I offered.

"Sure, sounds nice." Emily said.

"How is Rye?" I asked.

"Better. He's not bleeding anymore and Evelynn has him patched up." Gabe said as I nodded.

Gabe led me inside and I plopped down. Rye took up the most of the space, but I didn't mind it. Emily followed us in.

"Hey Rye. How are you?" I asked.

"Better." He said, smiling.

"That's good." I responded with a sigh of relief. I tried to relax a bit.

"So we had your fish for dinner. It was really good." Wolfbane said as I smiled. At least he was still speaking to me.

Cynthia and Evelynn were already in bed and Sylvia was getting there. Gabe was staring intently at Shalise and Rye was studying my face. Emily crashed in a sitting position, almost like she wanted to stay up for lookout.

"I'll stay up for lookout tonight." Wolfbane offered. I felt almost unprotected. What if Wolfbane really did have a grudge and want me dead? He could kill me in my sleep!

"Great, thanks." I said in a very small voice. I shut my eyes and tried to permanently erase the terrible thoughts from my head.

Now there are only 21 people left.

**Well, there we have it! I'm not really sure to say about this one besides... YIKES. **

**Any comments on Shalise stealing every boy's heart? Is Wolfbane upset or did he know it would happen? More to come later this weekend! XO, GirlonFire**


	12. Chapter 12: Homesick and Tissues

Sylvia, Cynthia, Evelynn, Shalise, and I went out to find berries or another backpack. Shalise was investigating some berries and I was the person in charge. I was the one to decide if they were good or bad.

Gabe, Wolfbane, Emily, and Rye were going hunting for some meat.

Sylvia searched around in the trees for another backpack and Cynthia was giggling about something Evelynn said. I never knew that twelve-year olds could be so secretive.

I walked next to the twelve-year olds when Evelynn screamed.

"Duck!" She exclaimed as the Careers came and threw a knife in my direction. She got the knife stuck in her chest and she ruptured a lung. Her blood splattered all over my face and I could barely hold back the barf.

Shalise crawled over to where Evelynn was.

I looked around the forest floor and grabbed a rock.

Tommy Hayes laughed at my makeshift weapon and came at me with his sword. I dodged his swipe and tripped him. I pinned him down and we fought over the sword until his fingers got sweaty and slipped.

Sylvia quickly pulled out her axe while Shalise was working on keeping the peace. Cynthia was threatening anyone who threatened us.

Jasmine Letterman pulled out her fancy Capitol bow and arrow and shot something. As she released her hand, I pulled back the sword in my right hand and struck a blow so fatal that I knew she stood no chance.

I beheaded her.

"You're insane!" Bree screamed at me. They looked really afraid, though.

"Maybe I am. Better get away from the insane girl." I said as the Careers took off running.

"Sylvia, Shalise, Cynthia let's go." I said numbly.

Shalise was bent over something and Sylvia was looking at the ground with tears streaming down her cheeks.

"What happened?" I asked as I saw Cynthia. Except, she was lying down with an arrow sticking out of her small intestine. I fought off the urge to barf; I had nothing in me left to barf.

3 canons instantly went off and we went from 21 people to 18. One of them was dead by my hand and the other two were my entire fault.

"We can't go back yet. We can't tell Rye now." I said panicking. I paced around and ran my fingers nervously through my hair.

"Hi, girlies. How's the berry hunting going?" Emily asked, finding us.

"Well we can't tell him Cynthia is alive." Shalise said.

"Uh-oh, Ade has that stressed out beyond belief look on her face." Emily said studying my face.

"Let's just sit here and think about things for a while. Ade, try to get your new weapons in your backpack." Sylvia said trying to keep the calm.

I nodded and forced it in. My backpack was nearly over-flowing. And in a mere two and a half days, my allied group went from nine to five.

We sat here until it was the afternoon when a parachute came for me. Except, it was from Annie.

**You can't avoid Rye forever. Once you tell him, you need to leave until the Final 8. Promise me and Finnick that you will. –A**

"I promise, Annie and Finnick." I said.

"Promise what?" Shalise asked.

"Nothing that we need to worry about now." I said as we walked back to the crater.

"Who was killed? We heard the canons." Gabe said panicking.

"It was Cynthia and Evelynn. And then Ade killed Jasmine, from the Careers." Sylvia muttered to him.

"And Ade has a secret that she isn't telling us." Shalise said, glaring at me angrily. It was my fault for keeping a secret, but her fault for being nosey.

"I need to tell Rye about Cynthia now. And then, I'm going to go by myself for a bit." I said looking guiltily at my feet.

"Why?" Gabe asked.

"Did we do something wrong?" Emily asked as I pulled her into a hug.

"No it was nothing any of you did. It was me. I can't stand it if it comes down to either of us. It's for the better. So I have to just break the news to Rye and leave." I said.

"Why not just go now? You don't have to worry about Rye's reaction. I'll just tell him that after the confrontation, you ran off in a random direction and got lost." Sylvia said.

I took in her words and decided that I couldn't bear to see Rye so upset. Of course, everyone would get over it. But Rye was the one that genuinely liked having me around. It seemed like he was the one who stopped everyone from cutting my head off when I was sleeping.

"Thank you. I promise I'll be back by the last 8." I said hugging everyone goodbye.

I handed Shalise the knife I had and took my collection of knives with me. I handed Gabe my backpack and he pulled me into a hug.

"I know you're doing the right thing." He whispered to me as I nodded and went running. I quickly climbed a safe tree and stayed there for the night.

From my tree, I could hear the entire conversation.

"Who was killed?" Rye asked.

"Well, Jasmine Letterman was. Ade killed her to avenge two tragic losses. It was Evelynn and Cynthia." Sylvia began.

"We had a confrontation when we were finding berries today. And Evelynn shielded Ade from a knife that was aiming for her head. And then Ade went and tackled Tommy until he gave up his sword." Shalise said.

"But then, Jasmine pulled out her fancy Capitol archery set and shot Cynthia. But Ade was on her in a flash, and well Ade beheaded Jasmine." Sylvia finished.

"So where is Ade now?" Rye asked.

"We lost her after the confrontation. We reckon that she'll find her way back to us. But she is probably having an anxiety attack as we speak. She isn't fit to kill as intensely as she did. And she probably needs space for a while." Emily said.

It pained me to hear Rye's screams. He was hurting. But then again, so was I. I'm not sure how much pain I just caused or how much stupidity I just made. But it was what Finnick and Annie wanted.

I climbed up a tree, so I could get farther away from the yells and screams. And then I just stopped. There was a parachute waiting for me there: tissues that smelled like salt water.

Home.

**Sorry I haven't posted in a while, but I am running out of some ideas for this story. And I've been majorly busy between tennis-band-and drama. So here we go. Here is your sneak peek, too!:**

If this is what insanity felt like, I would welcome it over any other price. Maybe Annie wasn't so insane, but simply acting upon her own free will. If it meant everyone would stop bothering me and would get me out of here, I would gladly welcome the insanity. It feels like I can definitely understand Annie more now.

**I know it isn't much, but it's really important to the story. **

**But what do you think? Is Adrianna crazy or crazy in ****_love_****? **

**Thanks for reading! I hope you review! **

**XO, GirlonFire**


	13. Chapter 13: Sticky Situations

I clung to trees and slept with tissues covering me. I must've been a heavy dreamer. My dreams were always traumatizing for me and I wondered if my mind was blown.

If this is what insanity felt like, I would welcome it over any other price. Maybe Annie wasn't so insane, but simply acting upon her own free will. If it meant everyone would stop bothering me and would get me out of here, I would gladly welcome the insanity. It feels like I can definitely understand Annie more now.

Finnick and Annie have sent me notes every day now. Some were encouraging, some were advice-filled, and some were just telling me to stay calm.

And the countdown was slowly getting smaller and smaller. We were at 15 people living today (Shalise, Wolfbane, and Marty Ragusa didn't make it). I suppose Sylvia and Gabe got fed up of their area being infiltrated and it went as far as death. Wolfbane would've died protecting Shalise. But either way, both of them died. And I suppose the Careers found Marty.

Emily left once Shalise and Wolfbane were killed. She probably felt threatened about Sylvia and Gabe. Gabe was really upset about Shalise and I wondered if she was something more to him than a normal ally. But he was in the team that killed her, so maybe not...

My stomach growled so loudly that it almost gave me away. Lovella and Trey were walking directly underneath me and Lovella threw a knife in my direction. However, I camouflaged myself in the plumage.

Not many people can say that they dodged a Lovella-Reed knife. I think she was the main reason that the Careers were doing so well.

And then Alissa Thorne and Emily came. Alissa was outstandingly beautiful, but then she darted Trey into death and blood dribbled all over his front. Emily looked shocked, but still as pretty as ever.

Lovella growled at Alissa and they took off into a run. But I guess the Gamemakers have decided to make an earthquake.

The earthquake split a large crack in the arena that was growing bigger and bigger. But then, it swallowed Lovella up and closed.

Two canons boomed. I hugged the tree until it stopped shaking from the earthquake.

"How many are dead?" I asked myself.

12, we were halfway done! Yay! I still had 4 more to go until I could sneak back to Rye.

"How long have we been in here?" I asked.

"Almost three weeks. This has the history of being the longest Game ever." I reminded myself again. Normally, Games go by faster than this.

And then a Capitol symbol appeared in the sky. It was a remembrance for all those who died. It was sweet if I wasn't the cause for so many deaths. I curled up in the tree and shut my eyes. Even Trey was up there, even though he was the most recent death. However, Lovella wasn't up there. She must've been too recent.

I climbed out of the tree and went for some water. Finnick and Annie would probably be screaming at me to climb up the tree again, but I wanted to actually experience some of the Hunger Games.

I looked in the water and saw myself. But I looked pretty ugly now. My brown wavy hair was pretty frizzy and knotted. There were leaves and twigs sticking in it everywhere. My eyes were darkened and had bags under them. My normally sparkly eyes were empty and void of emotion.

And then three people were running at me. I could barely make out who they were.

"Ade, duck!" Sylvia screamed at me as I dropped to the ground and saw a huge sword come flying out where I was. The sword clattered to the ground a few feet ahead of me and the Careers saw the greater threat.

I rolled out-of-the-way and took the sword with me. I saw Tommy Hayes and Bree Piper come along with weapons raised. Alex was aiming for me. I quickly readied the sword and didn't know what I was doing until I did it. I rang it through his stomach and felt his blood all over my hand.

I could barely look up before I saw something thud on the ground, not too far away from my feet.

It was... a uhmm... an I, ahh... a head.

Sylvia's head. She was beheaded right in front of us. Gabe looked very unsure of what to do about Sylvia. I ran closer to him and Rye.

I nodded to Rye and we threw Gabe's arms around our necks. Rye led us both somewhere and we were still silent. Rye went inside a dried out pond thing that they dug out a bit.

"So did you find us?" Rye asked after tucking Gabe into bed.

"Of course I did." I said as he forced a smile. He was affected by the Games too and it seemed like relentless suffering. Someone like him shouldn't suffer so much.

We went on a very quiet walk and came back to Gabe.

"He's been sick for days." Rye said.

"What's wrong with him?" I asked sitting in the hole.

"He's had a fever for as long as I can remember." Rye said. For some reason, I can believe that. I've been crying for as long as I can remember. Maybe the Games affect people's memories.

"Well, I guess someone missed out on edible plants." I said with a small smile.

"No, I didn't. I went there." Rye said.

"I must've done extra studying with Finnick then. Because the plants all around us can serve as remedies." I said picking a small green plant that I learned about. You grind it into chunky juice and it serves as a medicine.

"Really?" Rye asked.

"Yes, really." I said as Rye grinned and we worked on grinding the plant to a pulp. We forced Gabe to drink the green mixture and saw him get better day by day. But thoughts of Sylvia still lingered. Anyone could tell Gabe was thinking about her 24/7. Maybe he was conflicted about Shalise and Sylvia like I was conflicted about Rye, Finnick, and Gabe.

"Gabe, its okay to let it out. You can't stay numb like that." I said rubbing his shoulders. He started crying. And then we started crying.

"I know, Gabe. I know." I said gently. We continued crying for a while.

"Where are you going?" Rye asked wiping under his eyes.

"I'm going to get dinner for us. We need to eat some food after crying." I said going fishing again and skinning and gutting the fish. It used to be Sylvia's job to skin and gut the fish.

I cooked them over a very controlled flame and we had white meat, some roots, vegetables, and raisins.

"I wish Sylvia were here." Gabe said biting his lower lip again. His lip quivered. Gabe's eyes watered.

"I know me too. It's always her job to skin and gut. And I'm the catcher and the cook. But I guess I need to find a new skinner and gutter." I said, sitting criss-cross-apple-sauce style.

"I'll do it. And when we first got reaped, Sylvia told me a story." Gabe said.

"About what? And I'll help too; I can help keep them preserved." Rye asked.

"Her grandmother was reaped once and she went in the Games. However, someone poisoned her halfway through." Gabe said.

"If anyone, Sylvia was probably the most ideal victor." Rye said. I nodded in agreement and Rye met my gaze. It felt like forever he was staring into my eyes, and I couldn't drag my gaze away from his orbs of blue pools. They seemed never-ending. But at least he seemed almost happy with my presence.

"If I could, I would go back and change that moment so she didn't die. She never deserved that sort of pain. I think we should take a minute to appreciate the loss and pray for the family." I said.

Everyone nodded and we took a moment of silence.

But no one deserved this sort of pain. Ever. In their lifetime.

**I AM SOOO SORRY FOR THE SUPER LONG WAIT! I sort of lost inspiration (that and I got grounded from my laptop and never found the urge to go back online once I got it back) However... poor Sylvia! **

**I am only getting really busy, but I think you'll be glad to know that I only have 12 days left until Easter Break! But I have tennis tryouts, projects, and exams to study for! So it's going to be a little hard to update like every other day!**

**Thanks for reading!**

**-GirlonFire**


	14. Chapter 14: The End?

Maybe, if there was a way out, no one would ever have to suffer like this. And maybe we could get out of this food crisis we're all suffering in. But maybe I'm just hungry again.

I went out to hunt for food and Gabe came with me today. He claimed he was feeling well enough and I let him. We found berries and some scraps of meat.

"What's that?" Gabe demanded, pointing to the sky.

"What?" I asked.

"I think it's a hovercraft." Gabe said.

"Did you hear a canon?" I asked looking around.

"No, at least not yet." He said.

"Maybe they set a mutt on someone and are expecting them to die." I said.

"Well they're about to be sadly disappointed if they're expecting us to die." Gabe said as I couldn't help but smile. Gabe was sadly wrong, though.

We'd all die eventually. I don't know how I thought of such a disturbing thing, but I did.

However, the canons never went off. People screamed, but they never sounded. So no one died? They were getting some sad use out of the hovercraft they sent.

"Wait, Gabe. If there's not a canon, why else would they send out a hovercraft?" I asked panicking a bit.

"Are the Games over already?" Gabe said in horror.

"They can't be. There's you, me, Rye, Emily, Alissa, Bree, Max, and Alex all left." I said. Gabe slowly began to process my words.

"We need to find Rye." I said as Gabe nodded and we took off in the direction of the dried out pond.

But the dumb Gamemakers were stopping us from getting there. There was an earthquake that was beginning and our legs shook like jello.

Gabe got enough control over his legs and pulled me off somewhere. We made it back to the pond and Rye was sleeping.

"Wake up!" Gabe said shaking Rye.

"What's going on?" Rye asked.

"The end. It's all over!" Gabe said looking around.

"Gabe, go stand watch." I commanded as he nodded and left.

"Rye, give me the arm you got the tracker in." I muttered.

He did obediently and I cut it out of his arm and looked at it as it beeped and lit up. I threw it on a bug that was going in 20 different directions and then everything went black and I felt an explosion. I landed on my back and probably bruised myself up pretty roughly. And then my vision blurred and my ears started to ring.

I forced my eyelids opened and looked around. I was inside a hovercraft, on a very uncomfortable table.

"Are the Games over?" I asked.

"Yes, the Districts tried to penetrate the Games. But we found a breach in their security. We saved you." A Peacekeeper said gruffly.

"What does that make me?" I asked.

"A resident in the Capitol hovercraft." He said as I looked to my right and left. Gabe was on a table at my left and Alissa on my right.

"You're lying. We're Capitol prisoners." I said.

"You're not the only one. We've also got another surprise for your dear mentor, Finnick." He said.

"What's the surprise?" I demanded.

He let me off of the table and led me to a room. It was like a giant, dirty jail cell.

"Who is that? The small girl sitting in the corner?" I demanded.

"Her name is Primrose Rue Mellark. Have you heard that name?" He asked.

"She's Rye's sister. But what does she have to do with Finnick? Wait, Finnick is dating her." I said as everything clicked.

Her brown long hair was a knotted mess and I saw her blue eyes in the dark like cat eyes.

"Why are you keeping her here?" I demanded.

"Compensation. Her parents are the mentors of District 12, her brother survived the last Hunger Games there will ever be, and she's dating a mentor. We need her because we need them to have genuine fear." He said.

"So they won't have fear for me?" I asked.

"Of course they will. We only took you, Gabe, Alissa, Max Wade, Bree Piper, and Alex Sanders." He said.

I made a mental pact to myself. Get Prim out safely and then worry about everyone else.

"So how long have you known that the Districts were going to try to get you out?" He demanded.

"I didn't know anything." I said as he sat me in a chair with handcuffs and pricked me with yellow stuff.

"How long have you planned to leave your allies?" He demanded.

"It was a spur of the moment thing." I said. My answer must not have satisfied enough because he pricked me again.

"Watch this video about what happened in your Games before we turned it off." He commanded.

It was me running to Rye, Sylvia, and Gabe. But not being fast enough. Tommy Hayes decapitated Sylvia and Rye.

It stops when I scream. There was no way Rye could be dead. Could there? But from here, the video seems so true. It must be true. He pricks me again with the needle and I couldn't help but feel that the video was true.

"Very well. You've served your temporary purpose. Go to the cell with Primrose in it." He commanded and I walked with buckling knees.

He threw me to the ground of the vault and I sighed. He was done with me.

"I'm Prim Mellark." She said in a shaky voice.

"Adrianna Jennings, District 4." I said.

"You know Finn then? And my little brother?" She asked.

"Yes, I'm so sorry about Rye." I said.

"Why?" Prim asked moving her long brown hair out of her way.

"He was decapitated. They showed me a movie." I said.

"They showed me that movie, too. But he can't possibly be dead. There's too much spirit." Prim said.

"Maybe, but it seems pretty real." I said as Alissa joined us. Bree wasn't even in a stable state to get off her table. And the boys had a cell separated from ours.

"So Rye is dead?" Alissa asked me as I burst into tears.

I got punished for crying and they pricked me with more oozy-yellow liquid. And then I watched another movie. It was of Rye. And no one else. My heart wanted me to remember the feelings I stored up just for him, but my brain was telling me no.

It was the idea that Rye wanted me gone when I left. And he and Sylvia were planning on stabbing me in the back when I gave them the most things. He was a monster. He was planning on killing me.

"This isn't Rye. He isn't like that." I said.

"He is, and you know it. He is a monster." President Rayn said entering.

"No he isn't." I said as they stung me again with another needle.

"Yes, he is trying to rid the world of you. He is a murderer. And now you're safe. None of us will ever let that evil kid come after you ever again. You're too important to us to have such a hazard nearby." President Rayn said.

"You're a liar. You let me in the Games, so clearly I'm not that important." I said as they decided to use physical force to whip me into shape.

"You can physically wound me all you want, but you can't hurt my feelings." I said as they continued to whip, hit, punch, and kick me until I felt dead to the world.

"Carry her back to the cell." President Rayn said.

The Peacekeeper did and upon being thrown on the ground, I heard people scream. And then it all sounded like a fading radio. I could easily zone out the noises around me and I did. I fell unconscious and didn't regain my sense of alertness until morning. The sun shone through the one window that had steel bars on the window and I sighed.

Prim was rocking with her arms around her knees, Alissa was nervously twitching, and Bree was nervously finger-combing her hair. We all had problems. And it was unfair to us.

"_Psst_, Gabe." I hissed snapping to get his attention.

Gabe looked sick. His skin had a faint green tinge to it. His normally sparkling eyes lost their shine and his hair was flat and uncharacteristic. But that's probably what we all looked like now.

He looked over at me and I mouthed words to him. 'We need a plan'

He nodded and looked around.

**So everyone, that's it. If it was confusing, here's a summary: **

**Adrianna takes Gabe out to go hunting for food in the games, but they noticed a strange hovercraft appearing out of nowhere. So they ran back to where Rye was sleeping. Adrianna cut his tracker out of his arm and got rid of it. However, she, Gabe, Alissa, Prim, Bree, Max, and Wade were taken under the Capitol and they're stuck on a Capitol hovercraft where they torture them for information. And it ends with Adrianna trying to make a plan with Gabe.**

**I'm ****_soooooo _****sorry for not updating recently! I've gotten super busy with school, tennis, band, and etc. It nevers stops. And for a while, I lost my big inspiration for this story. But I've found a new one. **

**But sadly, the story is coming to a close soon. **

**On a happy note, however, I will be making more stories on here. I already have another Hunger Games one saved in MicrosoftWord. So yay! **

**Thanks for reading!**

**-GirlonFire**


	15. Chapter 15: Hello and Goodbye

He motioned an idea and it involved me picking a scab. I looked around and climbed through the bars. I guess I was kind of skinny. That or they needed to make the bars on the cells smaller.

I picked the scab on my head and started screaming. I bit my lip so hard; it looked like I was crying.

"I'll tell you! I know stuff about the rebellions!" I screamed shaking on the floor. I'm not sure the shaking part was 100% acting, though.

I shot Gabe a quick wink and he grinned.

"Come on, girl." A different Peacekeeper said pulling me by my hair somewhere. We passed a ton of random rooms and I collected all of my strength.

I shoved the Peacekeeper in a room that looked like the showers. But it had a weird nozzle with the remains of some yellow goop dripping out of it.

He tugged on my hair to try to keep a hold on me, but I shoved him too hard and he had to let go.

I took off his Peacekeeper outfit and turned on the nozzle. I jammed the door shut from the outside and took the key to it with me. I put on his Peacekeeper outfit and grinned. I cleared my throat to roughen my voice.

"Perimeter secured?" Someone asked passing me.

"Yes, but I need the keys to the cells. Rayn is having me bring the next prisoner to him." I said trying to stiffen up my voice.

"What's wrong with your voice?" He asked.

"I have laryngitis. One of the disgusting prisoners gave it to me. I think it was the Mellark-girl." I said.

"Our only hope is that the weak and sick ones can leave us. But with how some of the prisoners are, we'll be here a while. Like that Adrianna Jennings? She's a fighter for the wrong cause." He said.

"She's being totally stupid. But Rayn specifically wants to torture her." I said.

"I thought Blackthorn was next on the list." He said.

"With how much he calls Jennings in? Not possible. We've resorted to kicking and punching. But still she gets the normal needle and the videos, too." I said.

"Well, if Rayn wants to prisoners, then you'd better get back to work. Here are the keys." He said handing me a key ring with about 30 keys on it.

I grabbed the gun I got and shot him until he fell down. Then I shot the electricity box and the security cameras.

Everyone seemed suspicious of me. They knew something was wrong. They could tell with the way that I was walking. I tried to walk like how I've seen Gabe walk as much as I could, but it was hard.

Everyone watched me until I entered the deserted hallway with the jail cells. Someone was screaming at Gabe and Alex.

I cleared my throat.

"I'll take it from here. Rayn wants them all anyway." I said.

"Thank you. I need to leave anyway. My wife is having a baby." He said with a very small range of excitement.

"Congrats, man." I said as he nodded and left.

I took out the keys and struggled to find the right ones. They were number 29 out of 30. I rolled my eyes.

"We have to handcuff you guys to seem believable." I said finding ropes against the wall and using my knot tying skills to make knots and handcuffs.

I connected their wrists in one straight line and marched them to a room. Everyone seemed to have gotten rid of their suspicions.

I pulled out keys and unlocked a dry cleaners' space with at least a hundred Peacekeeper outfits.

"Here, change into these. No one is willing to do anything about the suspicions." I said as they all found their sizes.

We walked out one at a time, at different scattered times. So far, so good.

"Alissa and Alex, you two go pretend like you're doing rounds. Bree and Max go make sure no one gets suspicious. Feed them lies. Gabe and I will find the controls to bring the bird down. And Prim, come with us." I said as everyone nodded and split up.

"Prisoners delivered?" Someone asked Gabe.

"Yes, they're in punishment and watching some videos." He said gruffly. He does the man voice better than I could have.

We walked to where a lot of Peacekeepers were guarding the control room door.

"I have order by President Rayn to go inside." I said firming up my voice.

"Of course, Shackley." Someone said moving aside.

I nodded my thanks and we marched in.

"I have orders by President Rayn to bring the hovercraft down. We need fuel." Gabe said as I smirked and waited until we started moving down. And then it got bumpy.

"Someone is shooting at us!" A Peacekeeper yelled. He rammed the door down and ran away.

"Gabe, Prim go find everyone and tell them to meet me by the front door." I said. We split up and I ran to find the door. We were falling at an increasingly fast rate and there was nothing I could do about it.

Someone shot something else at us and it nearly knocked me over.

However, it knocked my headpiece off of me and it made my head visible. Like all of my head. They wouldn't see me as a Peacekeeper; they would see me as Adrianna Jennings- the royal pain in their butt.

And then someone shot the door open and I kicked off the outfit and grabbed the piece of rope that Gabe threw on the ground. I looked around for another hovercraft or something.

I let out a loud and echo-y scream and found Alissa, Gabe, Prim, Alex, Max, and Bree.

"Change quickly. Go on. We're being rescued in a sad attempt." I said.

"Where's the hovercraft?" Bree asked looking around.

"Underneath us." I said seeing the tail of it. I lasso-ed the rope and it caught onto the ship.

"Okay, on three we jump." I said as everyone grabbed onto the rope.

Some Peacekeepers were beginning to see us for who we were. But by then, we were getting ready to jump. But I never realized that they opened a door and released mutts. Bree got pulled back by a mutt and I let go of the rope to save her, but I was too late and it swallowed her whole. A Peacekeeper finally got up to us and he shoved something in Max's mouth. It was Nightlock.

We needed to leave before we lost anyone else.

"THREE!" I yelled as we all jumped.

It was exhilarating! It was amazing! The wind was running through our hair. And then we landed on the hovercraft and the pressure made it like we were bugs stuck on a windshield of the fancy Capitol cars. We were saved.

**And they have a happy (almost) ending ;). Another amazing chapter has been posted and I definitely think I'll have more time to post next week (but not on Monday or Wednesday), maybe tomorrow and then another update on Friday. **

**I have one hint for everyone: be mindful of old characters making a reapperance. You'll see many others reappearing in the next few chapters! **

**Well, thanks for reading!**

**-GirlonFire**

**P.S.- there are officially 6 more chapters til the end of this story :O. **


	16. Chapter 16: Saving Grace

When we all finally got up, we were standing on an unstable aircraft.

"Let's try and find something we can pry off so we can get inside." I said loudly. The wind was making it hard to hear.

Alissa found a vent or something and Gabe ripped it off.

"Go!" I snapped as Peacekeepers started shooting at us.

I sent Prim in first, then Alissa.

"Ade, I have to tell you something!" Gabe yelled as he was about to lower himself in.

"What?" I demanded holding back my hair so I could see him properly.

"I was in love with Shalise." He confessed.

"Who wasn't?! We all saw the way you looked at her! Every male specimen looked at her like that!" I said.

"But, then she died! And I need to stop thinking about her!" Gabe said.

"What are you asking me?" I demanded.

He smacked his lips on mine and it was just a friendly little kiss.

"There, I can officially be over her. And that was just a friendly kiss. Nothing personal or above friends." Gabe said.

I nodded and we ducked inside. It was as warm as a fireplace.

"So now, we need to find-" I said when Prim started squealing. I guess she saw Finnick. They both ran to each other in a slow motion hug sort of thing. You know, like the ones you see in movies? Where the guy spins the girl around a bit? Well they did that.

I was sort of jealous. Not of Prim, though. Finnick is only a friend. And I don't wish I was Prim because Finnick would still be just a friend and I would wreck their relationship completely. But I was envious of their chemistry and the spark they had. And it made me realize that I want something exactly like that.

"Ade!" Someone screamed running at me. Rye knocked me down and crushed me!

"Good to know I was missed." Gabe said stubbornly as Rye quickly climbed off of me, helped me up, and then (very manly) embraced Gabe.

I laughed a bit and then Rye hugged Prim.

Bree hugged Alissa and I.

"Where's Emily?" Alissa asked.

"She's been commanding the rescue mission." Finnick said.

Emily walked over from the front of the ship and we hugged. I seemed to miss her slightly curled orange hair, her feisty attitude, and her warm brown eyes.

Gabe seemed to look at her in a new light though. His eyes widened and he saw what I've seen the time. He saw Emily's full out beauty and didn't care about her flaws.

Alissa, Gabe, Emily, Prim, and Annie all talked enthusiastically and they seemed almost the same as normal.

"Well you guys took your dear sweet time about it." I said shaking my head.

"I know, you're looking brutal." He said as I smiled. Katniss's mom- Nurse Everdeen- demanded that we get checked out before anything.

Alissa was fine with just some cuts and bruises. Gabe broke his wrist and a few fingers, but that was it. Prim had a dislocated shoulder and some broken toes. Alex had a lot of mental pain.

But for me: I had a concussion, a lot of head injuries, all of my fingers broken on one hand, my hand broken, a bruised tailbone, and some pretty serious bruises and bumps.

Nurse Everdeen sighed and made me lay on a table.

"There's nothing really I can do about the bruised tailbone. So it's going to be painful for a few days. We need to set the bones in your hand so they heal correctly, I can already tell that they aren't. And after we do that, we need to check the severity of your concussion." She said pulling her blond hair out of her eyes.

She had a few more nurses back here to help. Prim was out of here really fast, Gabe had to stay for a while, Alex was in here for almost as long as I was, and Alissa came in to visit us with Emily.

"How's your butt?" Emily asked with a smirk.

"My tailbone will be fine in a few days." I said.

"And how's your head?" Alissa asked politely.

"Healing." I said shrugging.

"Have you seen Alex?" Emily whispered to me.

I shook my head.

"He's like totally unhinged." Emily said. How bad could they have gone on him?!

"I think all of us are a bit." I said.

"Girls, no more gossiping about Alex. We need to set the bones in her hand." Mrs. Everdeen said.

"Okay, should I get Rye?" Alissa asked.

"No, it's fine." I said. I was secretly afraid of the fact that Rye might be the monster they showed me in the videos. Alissa shot me a look and I shuddered.

After a few hours, it wasn't as painful as I thought. Mrs. Everdeen fixed me up just right.

"Your concussion isn't serious. But come to me if there are any problems." She said as I nodded.

"Mrs. Everdeen? Do you think Alex will be okay?" I asked.

"Deep down, we know he is unhinged. But we're not sure what it takes to return him. He was obviously a lovely boy with gorgeous manners. But he's not-." She said as I nodded.

"I know, but what if he had a lover in District 2?" I asked.

"Do you have any leads on it?" She asked as I nodded.

"Well Bree was his District partner. So it was painful for him, but even worse for Bree's sister." I said.

"So you think Bree's sister could be what brings him back?" She asked as I nodded again.

"So since all of us secretly have a problem, what is everyone else's?" I asked.

"I don't want to teach you to find people's mistakes." Mrs. Everdeen said.

"It's not a problem to find them, but it is to offend them because of it." I said.

"Well my problem is that I get depression. Katniss's is that she doesn't trust people easily. Finnick's is that he gets too attached. And the list goes on. But we all have triggers that snap us back to reality." She said.

"My problem is reliving the past." I said.

"What are you talking about?" Mrs. Everdeen asked.

"In the hovercraft, they used shots with oozy yellow liquid. And then, they showed us videos." I said.

"What of?" She asked.

"Well for me, it was when Rye and Sylvia got decapitated." I said.

"But only Sylvia was decapitated." She interrupted.

"Yeah. And then they showed me how much of a monster Rye was." I said.

"Like what?" She asked.

"How he and Sylvia were planning my death from the minute I met them." I said.

She opened her mouth and then closed it.

"It's my trigger for fear." I said hugging myself.

"Well, what if there was some way that you and Rye could talk it out without being in the same room?" Mrs. Everdeen suggested.

"That's available in the Victor's houses. But it's too much distance. We need to be almost close enough to talk face-to-face if needed." I said.

"We can have that arranged." Mrs. Everdeen said with a very Katniss-smile.

**To Recap:**** They escaped from the Capitol and are on the Districts' Hovercraft. Gabe kissed Adrianna to get over Shalise and his love (lust) for her. Gabe fell for Emily (you guys can imagine whatever you want with that). We got a sneak peek into the mental injuries that everyone has and Mrs. Everdeen has a plan to help Ade get over her mental anguish.**

**So, I don't know how to count up to 20 apparently. But I miss-numbered the chapters. So there are 4 left after this one, just to let you know. **

**The ball is rolling on a new Hunger Games Fanfic, but I won't tell you what it is yet. You have to come back and find out! :) I think you guys will like it though, it's going to be a bit more... ****_mysterious_****.**

**Thanks so much for being such loyal and avid readers ;) You guys are amazing! **

**I think that's all I have to say for now! **

**-GirlonFire**


	17. Chapter 17: Counter-progress

I sat on one side of a curtain (aka- a bed sheet) and Rye sat on the other. I didn't have to worry about being afraid of him because I wasn't looking at his face.

"How are you feeling?" Rye asked.

"Better, thanks. Thanks for agreeing to do this." I said.

"It's no problem. My dad gave me loads of advice. He was once so terrified of my mom, he tried to choke her." Rye said.

"I'm not _that_ terrified." I said quietly.

"But you are terrified?" Rye asked.

"Yes. In the hovercraft, the stuck needles in me that were injected with trackerjacker venom and jabberjay pee. After, they showed me a ton of videos about what a monster you were. One was particularly nasty. It was how you and Sylvia both got decapitated by Tommy. And then, another was how you planned my death." I said.

"Jabberjay pee? What sort of potions do they work with?" Rye said as I giggled.

"I don't know. But have you ever contemplated my death?" I asked.

"Never. I promise that I would never try to purposely hurt you in any way." Rye said.

I couldn't think of anything else to ask.

"So, can I ask you a question?" Rye asked.

"Sure." I said, almost afraid.

"No need to be afraid, I promise. But have you and Sylvia ever found yourselves envious of Shalise?" Rye asked slowly.

"Of course we were. Who wasn't? She got so much attention and, naturally, we were jealous." I said.

"You never needed to be. Shalise was the smallest fruit-fly in the world compared to your beauty." Rye said as I blushed.

I didn't have a response, so Rye poked his head around the sheet and I almost screamed. Every awful memory I had came flooding back to me.

"So much for progress." Rye sighed as I ran out the door.

"Whoa, what's wrong? I know Rye knows how to clear a room, but you're like running for your life." Finnick said stopping me when I was halfway to my room.

"He wrecked my progress. I can't look him in the face or else it all comes back to me. We were going so well until he looked at me. And then, I couldn't do it." I said running my hands through my hair.

"What progress?" Finnick asked.

"I can't look at Rye without seeing how monstrous and murderous he is. And how the people on the plane kept me safe from him." I said.

"Ade, look at your hand. Is that what you call safe?" Finnick asked.

"I... I just- it's safer than being in there with a murderer." I said.

"What's going on?" Annie asked.

"Mom, can you talk to Ade?" Finnick asked. He seemed unsure of what to say.

"Fine, but tell me what this is all about." She said as Finnick pulled her away. They had a very expressive conversation and they both came back.

Annie led me to my room.

"So what's up?" She asked plopping on my bed.

"I just want to be normal." I sighed running a hand through my hair.

"Why not rest up and take a nap? That will help you clear your mind and get things into perspective." Annie suggested getting my bed ready.

I crawled in and she tucked me.

"Thanks, Annie." I said.

I fell into a half-asleep state and sighed. I think this is the most I would get today. But I think I heard half of a conversation that I wasn't supposed to. It was between Rye and Finnick.

"Rye, mate, we need to talk." Finnick said.

"About what?" Rye asked yawning.

"Ade. She's genuinely afraid." Finnick said.

"Of what?" Rye asked.

"Well erm... you." Finnick said.

"What are you asking of me?" Rye asked.

"Just give her some time and let her make the first move. She doesn't need the overload of emotions right now and the best you can do for her now is just let her heal herself." Finnick said.

Finnick popped in my room.

"Ade, it's time for dinner." Finnick said.

"Yeah, thanks." I said as he led me to dinner. We sat down and ate chicken. Except Rye, Annie, and Peeta were gone. In a way, it was kind of relieving. But in a way, I didn't want it to be.

**Sorry for the filler chapter! I have been super busy, it was Siblings Weekend and I had to visit my sister at college. But thanks for reading and keeping this story going! **


	18. Chapter 18: Saying My Goodbye

I woke up, sweating. I must've had a nightmare. But I don't remember it. I lay in my bed for a few minutes and went to talk with Annie and Finnick.

"Do either of you have a really long strand of rope?" I asked them. Annie looked really confused, but Finnick seemed to understand what I wanted.

"I told you, mom. I told you making nets are calming to the mind." Finnick said reaching in his bag and pulling out a fresh roll of rope.

I took it from him and began making a net. My fingers jittered through the crafting and my mind was eased. I sat at the couch all day making a net. People passed me, sat next to me for a bit, and tried talking with me.

Overall, Gabe and Emily made real progress for their relationship. They were like Yin and Yang, though. Emily was the spark and Gabe was the water.

"So Ade? Having fun, making some nets?" Emily asked as she and Gabe joined me on the couch.

"Mhm, loads. What how are you here? Aren't the Games still going on?" I asked, completely into my work. She and Gabe sat with me for the longest and they began their own conversation.

"No, I won them." Emily said darkly. It was good she won, but you could really begin to see the toll it took on her. Her ribs poked through her skin and it was disgusting. I'm happy that Emily won though. Gabe grabbed Emily's hand and gave it a squeeze, she smiled and was back to her same old-Emily.

"Let's take a lunch break." Finnick suggested handing Emily, Gabe, and I plates. We walked into the dining room and there were assorted foods scattered all over the table.

"Finn, I think I'm ready for him. I'm ready to see Rye." I said.

"Well, after lunch you two can talk." Finnick said as he handed me a fancy Capitol sandwich and we ate slowly.

I walked to Rye's room and knocked on the door. I could hear footsteps and someone unlocked the door and slowly opened the door.

"Hi." I said lightly.

"Hi." Rye responded.

"What are you doing?" I asked studying his face. Flashbacks came back to me, but they were different. They were good flashbacks.

"Painting." Rye said.

"Can I see it?" I asked.

Rye nodded and led me inside his room. He painted me, tying a net. I was hunched over my work with a smile on my face. It was a portrait and it was perfect!

"It's beautiful." I said in awe.

"Who taught you to paint?" I asked.

"My dad. Who taught you to tie nets?" Rye asked.

"My dad. Do you want to learn how to do nets?" I asked.

"I learned knots for the Games, so how different can it be?" Rye said shrugging.

"That's the spirit." I said.

I taught him a few simple moves and he almost had it by the afternoon! He was a really fast learner.

"Do you want to learn to paint?" Rye asked.

"I'm not very artistic, but sure." I said shrugging. Rye taught me how to paint and I taught him how to make nets. We both picked up new hobbies to keep our minds off of things.

"Well, I guess this is my stop." Rye said as we stopped in District 12.

"Umm... I guess it's been fun. Call me sometime so we can catch up." I said, feeling my heart breaking. Tears welled up in my eyes and my face went hot.

"Hey, mate, I'll miss you." Gabe said hugging Rye goodbye. Emily and Rye hugged, and so did Alissa.

"Bye Ade. Bye Gabe." Rye said smiling.

"Bye." I said as all the Mellarks appeared. I hugged Prim goodbye and she seemed pretty happy to be going home. Katniss pulled me aside and thanked me for keeping her kids safe when she couldn't. And Peeta had no words for me, but just a kind hug that enveloped me in warmth.

Rye smiled a last smile at me and they opened the door on the hovercraft. Everyone waved goodbye and they left.

I couldn't get Rye out of my mind, though. He stuck to me like glue. And I think I'd rather have him there than anywhere else.

"I love you." I muttered quietly as the door shut and we went off again.

**Alright, a few answers for the last chapter. **

**Sungirl12: Annie is Finnick's mom. Because he is Finnick Odair Jr. And in this chapter, we got more information about Emily. EMILY HAS WON THE 100th HUNGER GAMES! YAY Emily. **

**Thanks for reading! I hope this chapter makes up for the last one.**


	19. Chapter 19: Life is like Strawberries

**Hey everyone, I have great news: I made captain of the tennis team! I'm soo happy right now, I decided to give you guys a chapter on a weekday! :) **

**NO OFFENSE TO GAY PEOPLE! It just came out in conversation, that's all! I don't mean anything by it! **

I've been in District 4 now for about a month. And in this month, I have never been so bored in my life!

The mayor wanted to make me have a lot of tests to make sure I was totally and completely sane. I wasn't trusted with any weapons or allowed to have any kitchen knives, but they mainly classified me as sane.

"Alright, what do you see here?" My councilor, Diana, asked cheerfully. I guess I made some lifesaving breakthrough today, but I didn't see it.

I was seated in a brown squashy futon and I lay back against the pillow. Diana was the picture of counseling. Her straight black bob cut was always perfect, as were her eyebrows. She always dressed so professionally and she took very tentative notes. Her gray eyes were piercing, yet warm; the same way Rye's eyes are. Her office was the epitome of counseling too. She had countless degrees from colleges from all districts, and even some potted plants that never had a leaf out-of-place.

"Umm... a big black blob?" I asked. We played therapy flashcards every day.

"Does it relate to you in any way?" Diana asked.

"Umm no. Should it?" I asked.

Diana shook her head and we talked about how I feel.

"Well, I guess I'm fine. I mean, it's bad knowing about how everything turned out. But it's good because well... I'm here. And a friend is helping me recover." I said.

"You consider me a friend?" Diana asked.

"Sure." I said shrugging. Why not?

"Alright, Ade. I think that is enough for today. Same time next week?" Diana asked as I nodded and we parted ways. I was just about back at my house in Victor's Village when Finnick walked past me.

"Hey, Ade. You wanna go to the town with me? I need to pick up strawberries for mom." Finnick asked.

"Sure." I said smiling at the opportunity to get out for once.

"So, I haven't seen you in a few weeks." Finnick said, trying to make conversation.

"I guess Diana was just trying to put things into perspective a bit. But I guess I consider her my friend. I spilled all my secrets to her." I said.

"Well what are you thinking about?" Finnick asked.

"Umm... Rye." I answered timidly.

"I so knew it. You're so into him!" Finnick said.

"Well, absence makes the heart grow fonder." I said as Finnick smiled.

"So what's the problem?" Finnick asked.

"We're 8 Districts away. I can't exactly call his name anymore and have him walk over to me." I said.

"So you miss him?" Finnick asked.

"Yeah, I guess I do." I said slowly.

"Why so confused?" Finnick asked as we got into town.

"I guess I just never thought I would find someone with enough persistence to tie me down, I guess." I said shrugging.

"Well the distance is hard, especially for you. But what Prim and I do is we make plans to visit each other at least once a week." Finnick said.

"That's a lot of travelling. I'm not sure I want to get on anymore trains anytime soon." I said as Finnick smiled and nodded.

"I understand that. But it'll get easier and eventually, you'll just blend in." Finnick said as we stopped.

"How do I do it? I can't stand not being able to scream Rye's name and not be able to hear his footsteps." I said.

"I take it you've tried to scream for him." Finnick said grinning.

"Ha-ha. No, I haven't. I just miss him more than I think I do." I said.

"What does that mean?" Finnick asked.

"It means that I'll say I'm fine, but I miss him." I said.

"The whole world kind of saw you two as cross-district lovers." Finnick said.

"What?" I asked.

"Everyone had bets on whether you would get together by the end of the Games. But, I was smart and I said no. Because I knew something cross-district would make the Capitol intervene when anything got started." Finnick said as I nodded.

"By the way, Ade, you look good today." Finnick said.

"Really?" I asked. I was only wearing a purple tank top, a plaid button up shirt, and some blue jean shorts with flip-flops.

"You don't look exhausted today. And your hair looks pretty, have you done something to it?" Finnick asked.

"No. Thanks, though. But this has to be the gayest and creepiest conversation we've ever had before." I said as Finnick grinned and I returned his smile.

We walked into his place and made Strawberry shortcake that Annie wouldn't let me touch until I talked to her a bit.

"So how are you feeling today?" Annie asked.

"Good. I think I'm recovering, finally. But there's one thing I can never recover from." I said.

"What's that?" Annie asked, seriously. She handed me a plate of cake and I smiled. My stomach growled at the sight of it.

"Love." I said smiling and she pulled us into a group hug.

**This is officially the end. But there is an epilogue! Thank you so much for the loyal reviews! I feel so guilty that I can't give anyone more! But I want to leave it at an open ending so you can imagine what would happen next.**

**Through all the postings, reviews, and updates I could feel myself becoming a better author/writer and I can only thank you! Thanks for being loyal and staying with me! This is ****NOT**** the last time you will ever see me on Fanfiction though.**

**Speaking of that, I have made a new Hunger Games story that takes place between Finnick Odair Jr. / OC ! So be sure to check it out! I'll reveal the Title of that in the epilogue!**

**And I'm really into mysteries so I do like House of Anubis, House M.D., Pitch Perfect, and other stuff so if you want to check me out in some stories that may pop up in those places, feel free! **

**Thanks for the fun and amazing-ness that everyone has brought me. You all brought joy to me in a time that I flat lined into Rock Bottom and saved me. So I can never thank you all enough!**

**-GirlonFire**


	20. Chapter 20: Epilogue

**Chapter 20: Epilogue**

It was my birthday today. It was May 24th and I was 18. Officially a legal adult and I couldn't be more excited than I was. I was the youngest between Rye and Gabe.

Sadly, nothing was planned for my birthday besides a dinner with Finnick and Annie. And that was still hours away. We had reservations for the fanciest restaurant in District 4 and we had to spruce ourselves up a bit.

I was walking along the beach with a little girl that I regularly babysit (now that I was trusted enough to). Her name was Lilly. Her cute red hair was in a braid today and she was jumping the waves. She was turning 5 on June 5th.

Lilly, unknowingly, made me long for a family or someone to be with. And then I thought of Rye.

"Hey, Miss Ade. Look at the pretty seashell." Lilly said showing me a big shell.

"That's really pretty. Do you want me to put that in your hair?" I asked.

"Yeah!" She said excitedly as I laughed.

I pinned her bangs back with it and she grinned. Her eyes sparkled with excitement and it reminded me instantly of Rye. I sighed as she ran off into the water again and I watched her. What made me so soft?

She jumped in and I walked while she was swimming.

"Miss Ade, who is that?" Lilly asked coming out of the water.

"Who?" I asked.

"Him, down there." Lilly said pointing to a figure.

"That's umm... my friend umm... Rye." I said, very confused.

"Are you friends or _friends_?" Lilly asked.

"Umm... what's the difference?" I asked squinting my eyebrows at her. A five-year old should not know about that!

"You can run and say hi, you know." Lilly said.

"I'll wait for him to get a little closer so I don't have to leave you as far away." I said as Lilly nodded and started making a sand castle.

"He's a lot closer now." Lilly said without even looking up.

"Okay, thanks." I said standing, wiping the sand off my butt, fixing my hair, and running.

"Rye!" I exclaimed as we crashed into a hug.

"Hey Ade. Happy birthday! I wanted to surprise you at dinner tonight." Rye said pulling me off the ground.

It was like I was hugging a man now. He was so much taller than I remembered. But then again, everyone is taller than me. I'm only like 5'8.

"Who are you babysitting?" Rye asked.

"That's Lilly. She's 5." I said as Rye and I worked on building a sandcastle with her. Lilly seemed to like Rye.

"Happy birthday, Miss Ade." Lilly said.

"Oh thanks, Lilly." I said smiling.

"Are you guys going to kiss at your dinner date?" Lilly asked.

"Oh, look that's your mom. I think she wants to take you home now, Lilly." I said avoiding the question.

"I want to know all about it." She said as I dropped her off with her mom.

"Ade, I have to tell you something." Rye said when I came back.

"Me too." I muttered.

"You first since it's your birthday." Rye said.

"Umm... maybe you should go." I said suddenly getting timid and playing with my brown-haired braid that went over my shoulder.

"How about we go together? On three. One, two, and three..." Rye said. People were waiting, too. It appeared Gabe, Emily, Alissa, Finnick, Prim, Peeta, and Annie were all waiting for something.

"I love you." We said simultaneously.

**And now is the end of Leave the Light On! Thanks so much for the continual support and encouragement, through thick and thin!**

**Remember to watch out for me on Fanfiction because this is not the last time I'll be around.**

**Sappy ending, I know. But we need fluffy with the harshness of the Games. **

**Thanks so much for reading! **

**MY NEW FANFIC WILL BE CALLED: HEAD OVER HEELS ****(No caps though, that was only for your attention) so keep a lookout! **

**Catch you later! **

**-GirlonFire**


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